Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between test engineers and senior 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 senior engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior engineer has an average salary of $108,743, 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 senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Test Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $79,832 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $38.38 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | - | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 228,974 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| 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 senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Test engineers and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Test Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $79,832 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $104,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a test engineer and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Test Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between test engineers' and senior engineers' demographics:
| Test Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| 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, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 5% |