Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between test engineers and automation 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 engineer and an automation engineer. Additionally, an automation engineer has an average salary of $92,597, which is higher than the $79,832 average annual salary of a test engineer.
The top three skills for a test engineer include python, C++ and C #. The most important skills for an automation engineer are python, java, and PLC.
| Test Engineer | Automation Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $79,832 | $92,597 |
| Hourly rate | $38.38 | $44.52 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 228,974 | 133,941 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Test engineers are professionals who observe and record the quality of products, which includes functionality, durability, speed, and safety. They are responsible for checking the materials and procedures thoroughly throughout the production cycle. It is their duty to run tests on different criteria to identify and fix technical issues. They analyze reactions to determine the causes of malfunctions and recommend potential improvements. Moreover, they test products before they are launched to ensure customers get high-quality and functional products.
An automation engineer takes charge of developing detailed design specifications and any other documents. Automation engineers develop automation software that is based on certain requirements for the involved process. They conform to local standards, international standards, and other process-oriented guidelines. Their duties also include the simulation and testing of automated machinery and processes. The must-have skills for this position include configuration software experience, scripting and coding expertise, certifications, and in-depth knowledge of technology.
Test engineers and automation engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Test Engineer | Automation Engineer | |
| Average salary | $79,832 | $92,597 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $104,000 | Between $70,000 And $121,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Retail |
There are a few differences between a test engineer and an automation engineer in terms of educational background:
| Test Engineer | Automation Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between test engineers' and automation engineers' demographics:
| Test Engineer | Automation Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% | Male, 87.0% Female, 13.0% |
| 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, 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% |