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The differences between test & development engineers and software 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 software engineer. Additionally, a software engineer has an average salary of $100,260, 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 software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Test & Development Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $80,977 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $38.93 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 97,438 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| 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 software engineer is a computer science professional who is responsible for the development of information systems, designing and building computer systems software and applications software. They often prefer to call themselves as a software developer or computer programmer. They have substantial knowledge of programming languages, software development, and computer operating systems, and other technologies. They use these to turn a plan into a final output. They can create a design, test, and develop software based on the needs of their clients.
Test & development engineers and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Test & Development Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $80,977 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $106,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a test & development engineer and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Test & Development Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between test & development engineers' and software engineers' demographics:
| Test & Development Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.4% Female, 11.6% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| 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, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 34.0% White, 48.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |