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The differences between test & development 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 test & development engineer and a quality assurance tester. Additionally, a test & development engineer has an average salary of $80,977, which is higher than the $74,140 average annual salary of a quality assurance tester.
The top three skills for a test & development engineer include python, test equipment and test development. The most important skills for a quality assurance tester are manual test cases, regression, and test scripts.
| Test & Development Engineer | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Yearly salary | $80,977 | $74,140 |
| Hourly rate | $38.93 | $35.64 |
| Growth rate | 3% | - |
| Number of jobs | 97,438 | 82,396 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| 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 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 & development engineers and quality assurance testers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Test & Development Engineer | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Average salary | $80,977 | $74,140 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $106,000 | Between $55,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Finance |
There are a few differences between a test & development engineer and a quality assurance tester in terms of educational background:
| Test & Development Engineer | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| 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 testers' demographics:
| Test & Development Engineer | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.4% Female, 11.6% | 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% |