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The differences between applications development specialists and database specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an applications development specialist and a database specialist. Additionally, an applications development specialist has an average salary of $99,856, which is higher than the $77,642 average annual salary of a database specialist.
The top three skills for an applications development specialist include java, application development and C++. The most important skills for a database specialist are database management, database design, and database administration.
| Applications Development Specialist | Database Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $99,856 | $77,642 |
| Hourly rate | $48.01 | $37.33 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 74,373 | 41,500 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An applications development specialist focuses on the design and coding of an application or software for a company. The development specialist's job is to determine the most efficient method to develop a program without sacrificing quality. It is also the position's task to ensure that a program is a solution to its needs and other problems identified through feedback from employees. The applications development specialist is also part of the backend team and can work alongside the research and development department when creating new software to be sold to the market.
A database specialist is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of the databases to maintain the confidentiality of data. Database specialists determine business requirements and manage multiple operating systems to build the database's efficient structures and feasibility. They also install security protection software tools and programs to prevent unauthorized access and potential leak of restricted information. A database specialist coordinates with the system engineers to improve existing databases and upgrade the network infrastructure for optimization.
Applications development specialists and database specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Applications Development Specialist | Database Specialist | |
| Average salary | $99,856 | $77,642 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $127,000 | Between $53,000 And $111,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | MUFG EMEA | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between an applications development specialist and a database specialist in terms of educational background:
| Applications Development Specialist | Database Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between applications development specialists' and database specialists' demographics:
| Applications Development Specialist | Database Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.2% Female, 27.8% | Male, 47.6% Female, 52.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 7.0% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 17.8% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 6% |