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The differences between test & development engineers 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 test & development engineer and a quality assurance engineer. Additionally, a quality assurance engineer has an average salary of $82,215, which is higher than the $80,977 average annual salary of a test & development engineer.
The top three skills for a test & development engineer include python, test equipment and test development. The most important skills for a quality assurance engineer are java, python, and regression.
| Test & Development Engineer | Quality Assurance Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $80,977 | $82,215 |
| Hourly rate | $38.93 | $39.53 |
| Growth rate | 3% | - |
| Number of jobs | 97,438 | 243,536 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A test and development engineer is primarily in charge of developing and conducting quality assurance procedures, ensuring that manufactured products adhere to the company's quality standards and regulations. Their responsibilities include performing research and analysis to identify a company's quality control and assurance needs, examining raw materials and other components, gathering and analyzing data from test procedures, and recommending the best practices and solutions in problem areas. Furthermore, as a test and development engineer, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with staff, coordinating every step of the way.
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.
Test & development engineers and quality assurance engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Test & Development Engineer | Quality Assurance Engineer | |
| Average salary | $80,977 | $82,215 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $106,000 | Between $61,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a test & development engineer and a quality assurance engineer in terms of educational background:
| Test & Development Engineer | Quality Assurance Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between test & development engineers' and quality assurance engineers' demographics:
| Test & Development Engineer | Quality Assurance Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.4% Female, 11.6% | 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% |