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The differences between application engineers and software engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an application engineer, becoming a software engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a software engineer has an average salary of $100,260, which is higher than the $92,921 average annual salary of an application engineer.
The top three skills for an application engineer include technical support, java and C++. The most important skills for a software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Application Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $92,921 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $44.67 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 111,338 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
An application engineer is responsible for creating and re-designing system applications based on clients' specifications and sales demands. Application engineers run diagnostic tests on software programs, identify areas of improvement, install necessary updates, upgrade optimization, revise system codes, and provide technical support for customers' needs. They also generate ideas and locate other business opportunities by analyzing current trends in the technology market that would help build revenues and increase profitability for the company. An application engineer must have a strong command of programming languages, software application processes, and general technology disciplines.
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.
Application engineers and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Application Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $92,921 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $125,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Morgan Lewis | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Start-up |
There are a few differences between an application engineer and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Application Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between application engineers' and software engineers' demographics:
| Application Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.4% Female, 12.6% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 1.4% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 6.7% Asian, 11.5% White, 74.0% 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 | 7% | 8% |