Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between test engineers and lead engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a test engineer, becoming a lead engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a lead engineer has an average salary of $84,927, 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 a lead engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Test Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $79,832 | $84,927 |
| Hourly rate | $38.38 | $40.83 |
| Growth rate | - | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 228,974 | 301,777 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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.
A lead engineer's duties vary on their line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities will revolve around overseeing the progress of operations and performance of the workforce, ensuring that everything is running smoothly. They are also responsible for addressing issues and concerns, assessing risks, monitoring the budget, coordinating with clients and architects, and even training workers. Furthermore, as a lead engineer, it is crucial to conduct regular inspections to ensure the quality of work and maintain a safe environment for all workers.
Test engineers and lead engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Test Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Average salary | $79,832 | $84,927 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $104,000 | Between $60,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a test engineer and a lead engineer in terms of educational background:
| Test Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between test engineers' and lead engineers' demographics:
| Test Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 5% |