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The differences between staff test engineers and senior test engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a staff test engineer and a senior test engineer. Additionally, a staff test engineer has an average salary of $115,935, which is higher than the $82,775 average annual salary of a senior test engineer.
The top three skills for a staff test engineer include C++, data analysis and test results. The most important skills for a senior test engineer are test cases, python, and java.
| Staff Test Engineer | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $115,935 | $82,775 |
| Hourly rate | $55.74 | $39.80 |
| Growth rate | 3% | - |
| Number of jobs | 123,176 | 245,814 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A staff test engineer is responsible for setting guidelines for a test plan. They also monitor technicians and other expert engineers. They frequently collaborate with other engineering staff to develop comprehensive testability requirements. They review and suggests testability modules.
A senior test engineer is an individual who is responsible for developing and implementing cost-effective methods of testing and troubleshooting computer systems and equipment. Senior test engineers must assist junior engineers in developing test plans and conducting testing activities on complex systems to meet program requirements. They aid in the areas of predictability, manufacturing processing, and improvement in the equipment and process. Senior test engineers must also develop proposal inputs and reviews documents generated by junior engineers.
Staff test engineers and senior test engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Test Engineer | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Average salary | $115,935 | $82,775 |
| Salary range | Between $87,000 And $153,000 | Between $63,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | California |
| Best paying company | ||
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a staff test engineer and a senior test engineer in terms of educational background:
| Staff Test Engineer | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between staff test engineers' and senior test engineers' demographics:
| Staff Test Engineer | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4% | Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |