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The differences between staff test engineers and 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 test engineer. Additionally, a staff test engineer has an average salary of $115,935, which is higher than the $79,832 average annual salary of a test engineer.
The top three skills for a staff test engineer include C++, data analysis and test results. The most important skills for a test engineer are python, C++, and C #.
| Staff Test Engineer | Test Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $115,935 | $79,832 |
| Hourly rate | $55.74 | $38.38 |
| Growth rate | 3% | - |
| Number of jobs | 123,176 | 228,974 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| 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.
Test engineers are professionals who observe and record the quality of products, which includes functionality, durability, speed, and safety. They are responsible for checking the materials and procedures thoroughly throughout the production cycle. It is their duty to run tests on different criteria to identify and fix technical issues. They analyze reactions to determine the causes of malfunctions and recommend potential improvements. Moreover, they test products before they are launched to ensure customers get high-quality and functional products.
Staff test engineers and test engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Test Engineer | Test Engineer | |
| Average salary | $115,935 | $79,832 |
| Salary range | Between $87,000 And $153,000 | Between $60,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a staff test engineer and a test engineer in terms of educational background:
| Staff Test Engineer | Test Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| 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 test engineers' demographics:
| Staff Test Engineer | Test Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4% | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% |
| 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% |