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The differences between systems testers and quality assurance 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 systems tester and a quality assurance engineer. Additionally, a systems tester has an average salary of $95,834, which is higher than the $82,215 average annual salary of a quality assurance engineer.
The top three skills for a systems tester include python, java and C++. The most important skills for a quality assurance engineer are java, python, and regression.
| Systems Tester | Quality Assurance Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $95,834 | $82,215 |
| Hourly rate | $46.07 | $39.53 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 112,985 | 243,536 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A systems tester is an information technology expert who specializes in developing test structures to identify the strengths and weaknesses of systems and software. They primarily work to identify and eliminate bugs to ensure quality and client satisfaction. They may also perform clerical tasks such as preparing reports and findings. Furthermore, as a systems tester, it is essential to recommend solutions against problem areas, all while adhering to the project's budgets and the company's policies and regulations.
A Quality Assurance Engineer's role is to oversee the overall production and ensure that the product is cost-efficient and aligns with the company's standards. The responsibility mainly revolves around conducting activities that examine and scrutinize the condition of a product or service to identify issues and come up with possible solutions to resolve the issue or attain stronger customer satisfaction. Furthermore, the Quality Assurance Engineer must also ensure that the product adheres to the government regulations and market guidelines.
Systems testers and quality assurance engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Systems Tester | Quality Assurance Engineer | |
| Average salary | $95,834 | $82,215 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $124,000 | Between $61,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a systems tester and a quality assurance engineer in terms of educational background:
| Systems Tester | Quality Assurance Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between systems testers' and quality assurance engineers' demographics:
| Systems Tester | Quality Assurance Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.5% Female, 36.5% | Male, 69.5% Female, 30.5% |
| 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% |