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The differences between aerospace engineers and 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 an aerospace engineer and a software engineer. Additionally, an aerospace engineer has an average salary of $100,401, which is higher than the $100,260 average annual salary of a software engineer.
The top three skills for an aerospace engineer include C++, DOD and FAA. The most important skills for a software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Aerospace Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $100,401 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $48.27 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 42,086 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An aerospace engineer specializes in designing, maintaining, and repairing aircraft and spacecraft. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting tests and procedures to identify faults and inconsistencies, lead production processes, performing repairs and improvements, designing systems, and ensuring that all equipment complies with the safety regulations and standards. They are also responsible for producing technical materials such as reports, proposals, and manuals. Furthermore, there are instances where they must set the policies and standards on the equipment they are developing while utilizing their expertise in mathematics, engineering, and sciences.
A software engineer is a computer science professional who is responsible for the development of information systems, designing and building computer systems software and applications software. They often prefer to call themselves as a software developer or computer programmer. They have substantial knowledge of programming languages, software development, and computer operating systems, and other technologies. They use these to turn a plan into a final output. They can create a design, test, and develop software based on the needs of their clients.
Aerospace engineers and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aerospace Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $100,401 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $140,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | Arizona | California |
| Best paying company | Thrush Aircraft | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Start-up |
There are a few differences between an aerospace engineer and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Aerospace Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Aerospace Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between aerospace engineers' and software engineers' demographics:
| Aerospace Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 11.0% White, 69.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 34.0% White, 48.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |