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The differences between test engineers and software development 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 software development engineer. Additionally, a software development engineer has an average salary of $109,147, 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 software development engineer are java, software development, and AWS.
| Test Engineer | Software Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $79,832 | $109,147 |
| Hourly rate | $38.38 | $52.47 |
| Growth rate | - | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 228,974 | 356,971 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| 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.
A software development engineer is responsible for designing and developing software systems and applications based on clients' specifications and business needs. Software development engineers manage operating systems and analyze network codes to maintain the compatibility of the software applications and control systems. They also run diagnostic tests for every software structure to ensure smooth navigations and perform immediate troubleshooting for inconsistencies. A software development engineer must have a strong command of programming languages, as well as technological processes and analytical skills.
Test engineers and software development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Test Engineer | Software Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $79,832 | $109,147 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $104,000 | Between $80,000 And $147,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Technology |
There are a few differences between a test engineer and a software development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Test Engineer | Software Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between test engineers' and software development engineers' demographics:
| Test Engineer | Software Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% | Male, 79.6% Female, 20.4% |
| 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, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 32.7% White, 49.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |