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The differences between test analysts 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 test analyst and a quality assurance tester. Additionally, a quality assurance tester has an average salary of $74,140, which is higher than the $70,997 average annual salary of a test analyst.
The top three skills for a test analyst include test scripts, test plan and regression. The most important skills for a quality assurance tester are manual test cases, regression, and test scripts.
| Test Analyst | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Yearly salary | $70,997 | $74,140 |
| Hourly rate | $34.13 | $35.64 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 91,308 | 82,396 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
The duties of a test analyst depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. In the information technology setting, a test analyst is responsible for testing computer software or hardware to ensure its quality before being released in the market. They participate in the development process to monitor the product specifications, review and analyze documentation, and create test systems, implementing them promptly and efficiently. As a test analyst, it is essential to produce progress reports, prepare presentations, and even give recommendations.
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.
Test analysts and quality assurance testers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Test Analyst | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Average salary | $70,997 | $74,140 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $88,000 | Between $55,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Maryland |
| Best paying company | General Motors | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a test analyst and a quality assurance tester in terms of educational background:
| Test Analyst | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between test analysts' and quality assurance testers' demographics:
| Test Analyst | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.2% Female, 44.8% | 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% |