Quality Assurance Automation Engineers: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of quality assurance automation engineers about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for quality assurance automation engineers to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of quality assurance automation engineers expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for quality assurance automation engineers.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Quality Assurance Automation Engineers?
Do quality assurance automation engineers need a degree? What kind of experience do quality assurance automation engineers typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for quality assurance automation engineers to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Quality Assurance Automation Engineers
Jobs Postings for Quality Assurance Automation Engineers By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 84,781 (49%)
- No Education Listed: 56,073 (32%)
- Master's degree: 18,570 (11%)
- High School or GED: 9,522 (6%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 4,134 (2%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of quality assurance automation engineers. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 49% of positions. In 32% of job listings no education level was listed and in 11% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Quality Assurance Automation Engineers
Jobs Postings for Quality Assurance Automation Engineers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 9,772 (10%)
- 2-3 Years: 30,133 (30%)
- 4-6 Years: 39,396 (39%)
- 7-9 Years: 13,785 (14%)
- 10+ Years: 8,178 (8%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for quality assurance automation engineers. In 39% of job postings for Quality Assurance Automation Engineers, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 30% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 7-9 years of experience was sought in 14% of job postings for quality assurance automation engineers.
What Kind of Degree Do Quality Assurance Automation Engineers Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for quality assurance automation engineers, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 20 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective quality assurance automation engineers, and in 2021 a total of 175,803 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective quality assurance automation engineers.
Top Degree Programs for Quality Assurance Automation Engineers
Top 5 Degree Programs for Quality Assurance Automation Engineers (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Computer Science. | 59,346 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | 51,511 |
| Information Science/Studies. | 18,279 |
| Computer Engineering, General. | 13,416 |
| Computer Programming/Programmer, General. | 8,719 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Computer Science. | 59,346 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | 51,511 |
| Information Science/Studies. | 18,279 |
| Computer Engineering, General. | 13,416 |
| Computer Programming/Programmer, General. | 8,719 |
| Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Technician. | 4,769 |
| Computer Software Engineering. | 4,226 |
| Computer/Information Technology Services Administration and Management, Other. | 4,000 |
| Computer Programming, Specific Applications. | 2,399 |
| Computer Systems Analysis/Analyst. | 2,305 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, Other. | 1,880 |
| Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other. | 1,755 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications, Other. | 1,437 |
| Data Science, General. | 526 |
| E-Commerce/Electronic Commerce. | 293 |
| Computer Programming, Vendor/Product Certification. | 278 |
| Computer Software Technology/Technician. | 248 |
| Computer Programming, Specific Platforms. | 173 |
| Computer Programming, Other. | 152 |
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other. | 91 |
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Degree Options for Quality Assurance Automation Engineers
Develop the advanced technical skills needed to turn complex programming specifications into well-designed computer programs.
- Class Type: Face-to-face, Online coursework
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do Quality Assurance Automation Engineers Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by quality assurance automation engineers to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for quality assurance automation engineers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Quality Assurance Automation Engineers
Based on 150,346 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Quality Assurance Automation Engineers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Automation | 65,643 | 44% |
| Test Automation | 62,409 | 42% |
| Test Planning | 51,595 | 34% |
| Agile Methodology | 48,141 | 32% |
| Computer Science | 39,513 | 26% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Quality Assurance Automation Engineers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Safety Assurance | 66,965 | 45% |
| Communications | 56,983 | 38% |
| Quality Assurance | 55,056 | 37% |
| Management | 40,154 | 27% |
| Problem Solving | 32,917 | 22% |
Based on 150,346 job postings related to quality assurance automation engineers, automation was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 44% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for test automation, test planning, agile methodology, computer science and selenium (software) were also highly sought.
As for common skills, safety assurance was the most desired skill found in job postings for quality assurance automation engineers, followed by communications, quality assurance, management, problem solving and troubleshooting (problem solving).
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Automation | 65,643 | 44% |
| Test Automation | 62,409 | 42% |
| Test Planning | 51,595 | 34% |
| Agile Methodology | 48,141 | 32% |
| Computer Science | 39,513 | 26% |
| Selenium (Software) | 32,335 | 22% |
| Software Testing | 31,515 | 21% |
| SQL (Programming Language) | 31,276 | 21% |
| Java (Programming Language) | 30,218 | 20% |
| JIRA | 26,709 | 18% |
| Software Quality (SQA/SQC) | 26,228 | 17% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 24,568 | 16% |
| Software Development | 22,721 | 15% |
| Scrum (Software Development) | 21,743 | 14% |
| Scripting | 20,974 | 14% |
| Application Programming Interface (API) | 20,826 | 14% |
| Test Engineering | 19,904 | 13% |
| Regression Testing | 19,485 | 13% |
| Project Management | 18,391 | 12% |
| JavaScript (Programming Language) | 16,409 | 11% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Safety Assurance | 66,965 | 45% |
| Communications | 56,983 | 38% |
| Quality Assurance | 55,056 | 37% |
| Management | 40,154 | 27% |
| Problem Solving | 32,917 | 22% |
| Troubleshooting (Problem Solving) | 24,953 | 17% |
| Writing | 24,401 | 16% |
| Detail Oriented | 24,125 | 16% |
| Leadership | 23,750 | 16% |
| Planning | 21,979 | 15% |
| Operations | 19,679 | 13% |
| Self-Motivation | 15,212 | 10% |
| Customer Service | 15,179 | 10% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 14,946 | 10% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 12,344 | 8% |
| Microsoft Excel | 11,857 | 8% |
| Coordinating | 11,671 | 8% |
| Microsoft Office | 11,344 | 8% |
| Innovation | 11,183 | 7% |
| Research | 10,903 | 7% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about quality assurance automation engineers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for quality assurance automation engineers.
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How much do quality assurance automation engineers make?
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