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The differences between associate programmers and software engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become an associate programmer, 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 $71,595 average annual salary of an associate programmer.
The top three skills for an associate programmer include java, macro and SAS. The most important skills for a software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Associate Programmer | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $71,595 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $34.42 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | -7% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 158,716 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 47 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 4 |
Associate programmers and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Programmer | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $71,595 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $91,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Carson City, NV | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | California |
| Best paying company | Knight Capital Funding | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Start-up |
There are a few differences between an associate programmer and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Associate Programmer | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between associate programmers' and software engineers' demographics:
| Associate Programmer | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 47 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.7% Female, 33.3% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 19.9% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 11% | 8% |