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The differences between test administrators and quality assurance leads can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a quality assurance lead has an average salary of $94,758, which is higher than the $25,904 average annual salary of a test administrator.
The top three skills for a test administrator include exam process, technical issues and test materials. The most important skills for a quality assurance lead are QA, test cases, and test plan.
| Test Administrator | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $25,904 | $94,758 |
| Hourly rate | $12.45 | $45.56 |
| Growth rate | 4% | - |
| Number of jobs | 68,229 | 82,242 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A test administrator is responsible for observing and monitoring the students during examinations and related assessments. Test administrators discuss the procedures and rules before the test, responding to any inquiries and concerns the examinees may have. They provide the tools and materials needed for the assessment, as well as verifying the identity of each examinee. A test administrator must be highly observant and organizational, strictly implementing regulations and operating testing equipment, and perform troubleshooting for technical issues.
A quality assurance lead, also known as QA Lead, is responsible for conducting necessary quality tests and analyses for software program and development. As a quality assurance lead, they must take the lead in ensuring quality during development by proactively performing critical evaluations, troubleshooting, and providing precise documentation. It is also essential to identify issues and resolve them as soon as possible. Furthermore, a quality assurance lead must maintain an active line of communication and coordination as most of the work will be in a team setting.
Test administrators and quality assurance leads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Test Administrator | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Average salary | $25,904 | $94,758 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $33,000 | Between $72,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rochester, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | Eli Lilly and Company | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Government | Retail |
There are a few differences between a test administrator and a quality assurance lead in terms of educational background:
| Test Administrator | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between test administrators' and quality assurance leads' demographics:
| Test Administrator | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.7% Female, 67.3% | Male, 63.0% Female, 37.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 8.2% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | 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 | 6% | 11% |