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The differences between test engineers and senior 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 engineer and a senior software engineer. Additionally, a senior software engineer has an average salary of $114,494, 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 software engineer are java, python, and javascript.
| Test Engineer | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $79,832 | $114,494 |
| Hourly rate | $38.38 | $55.05 |
| Growth rate | - | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 228,974 | 338,989 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| 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.
Senior software engineers are experienced employees who would usually take the lead in projects related to software development. They are in charge of determining the needs of the organization, checking whether there are feasible solutions to challenges, and creating plans for the development of a software solution. They provide a sound analysis of data collected during the testing phase of the software and address any problems during the software development phase. Once the software has been developed, they then ensure that it works well and that it addresses the needs and expectations of the users.
Test engineers and senior software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Test Engineer | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $79,832 | $114,494 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $104,000 | Between $86,000 And $151,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Retail |
There are a few differences between a test engineer and a senior software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Test Engineer | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between test engineers' and senior software engineers' demographics:
| Test Engineer | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% |
| 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, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 31.8% White, 50.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |