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The differences between system test engineers and quality assurance testers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a system test engineer and a quality assurance tester. Additionally, a system test engineer has an average salary of $100,751, which is higher than the $74,140 average annual salary of a quality assurance tester.
The top three skills for a system test engineer include python, test procedures and C++. The most important skills for a quality assurance tester are manual test cases, regression, and test scripts.
| System Test Engineer | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Yearly salary | $100,751 | $74,140 |
| Hourly rate | $48.44 | $35.64 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 131,653 | 82,396 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A system test engineer is responsible for performing diagnostic tests on computer systems and applications, measuring its performance and efficiency, and recommending technical solutions as needed. System test engineers assist in system configuration and network infrastructure, ensuring that the deliverables meet the business requirements and project specifications. They should have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, as well as a strong command of programming languages, to automate scripts for quality check methodologies. A system test engineer coordinates with the technology team in improving the user interface, including navigation and server stability.
A quality assurance tester, also known as QA tester, has different responsibilities depending on the line of work or industry involved. In a computer development setting, they are in charge of working and coordinating with technical engineers. They have to conduct regular tests for new software and programs, identify inconsistencies, and find areas for improvement. Furthermore, a quality assurance tester must produce reports from the tests, which can be the basis of progress for further developments.
System test engineers and quality assurance testers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| System Test Engineer | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Average salary | $100,751 | $74,140 |
| Salary range | Between $76,000 And $132,000 | Between $55,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | Petaluma, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Finance |
There are a few differences between a system test engineer and a quality assurance tester in terms of educational background:
| System Test Engineer | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between system test engineers' and quality assurance testers' demographics:
| System Test Engineer | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7% | Male, 61.2% Female, 38.8% |
| 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% |