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The differences between applications & systems engineers and software systems 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 applications & systems engineer and a software systems engineer. Additionally, a software systems engineer has an average salary of $107,102, which is higher than the $97,919 average annual salary of an applications & systems engineer.
The top three skills for an applications & systems engineer include application development, C++ and java. The most important skills for a software systems engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Applications & Systems Engineer | Software Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $97,919 | $107,102 |
| Hourly rate | $47.08 | $51.49 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 367,806 | 370,518 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An applications and systems engineer is an information technology (IT) expert whose responsibilities revolve around designing and developing applications and systems to optimize company operations. They typically perform internal assessments to identify company needs, evaluate existing systems and applications to determine areas needing improvements, establish testing structures, and providing solutions for different IT issues. Furthermore, as an application and systems engineer, it is essential to perform regular maintenance checks on IT systems and networks, ensuring efficiency and providing corrective measures as needed.
A software systems engineer is responsible for designing and creating software systems applications and programs according to clients' specifications or business' needs. They work to improve the features of existing applications to boost efficiency and optimal performance. Software systems engineers manage systems configuration and structural development to develop high-quality outputs and deliverables. They also run multiple diagnostic tests to ensure smooth navigations and server transitions and identify efficient technical solutions. A software systems engineer assists the end-users with application issues, performing troubleshooting operations, and creating resolution reports for reference.
Applications & systems engineers and software systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Applications & Systems Engineer | Software Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $97,919 | $107,102 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $129,000 | Between $80,000 And $142,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Start-up |
There are a few differences between an applications & systems engineer and a software systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Applications & Systems Engineer | Software Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between applications & systems engineers' and software systems engineers' demographics:
| Applications & Systems Engineer | Software Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.9% Female, 14.1% | Male, 81.1% Female, 18.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.7% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |