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The differences between test & development engineers and senior quality assurance analysts 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 senior quality assurance analyst. Additionally, a senior quality assurance analyst has an average salary of $93,563, 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 senior quality assurance analyst are QA, manual test cases, and regression.
| Test & Development Engineer | Senior Quality Assurance Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $80,977 | $93,563 |
| Hourly rate | $38.93 | $44.98 |
| Growth rate | 3% | - |
| Number of jobs | 97,438 | 123,719 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| 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.
Senior quality assurance analysts are responsible for developing and implementing quality assurance standards within an organization. They collect and analyze data to reinforce proposed projects, systems requirements, and business cases. These will include writing scripts and test plans to monitor errors and fixes in product and software development, operational systems, and information systems. Besides, they are also responsible for several tasks, including preparing reports and recommendations, communicating with suppliers and vendors in assessing applications, and conducting internal audits.
Test & development engineers and senior quality assurance analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Test & Development Engineer | Senior Quality Assurance Analyst | |
| Average salary | $80,977 | $93,563 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $106,000 | Between $74,000 And $117,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Riot Games |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Finance |
There are a few differences between a test & development engineer and a senior quality assurance analyst in terms of educational background:
| Test & Development Engineer | Senior Quality Assurance Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | - |
Here are the differences between test & development engineers' and senior quality assurance analysts' demographics:
| Test & Development Engineer | Senior Quality Assurance Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.4% Female, 11.6% | Male, 52.8% Female, 47.2% |
| 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% |