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The differences between cobol programmers and senior programmers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a cobol programmer and a senior programmer. Additionally, a senior programmer has an average salary of $105,509, which is higher than the $84,879 average annual salary of a cobol programmer.
The top three skills for a cobol programmer include SQL, COBOL and debugging. The most important skills for a senior programmer are macro, SAS, and database.
| Cobol Programmer | Senior Programmer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,879 | $105,509 |
| Hourly rate | $40.81 | $50.73 |
| Growth rate | -7% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 191,455 | 209,882 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
Cobol Programmers write computer programs using COBOL. They design, create, and configure new program codes, test these computer programs to ensure they work well on the intended system, and make the required changes. They also fine-tune DB2 SQL inquiries, gather and document operating system requirements, maintain and develop COBOL, and document, implement, design, and enhance systems and computer programs. Cobol Programmers code libraries to simplify program writing, test COBOL program errors, and correct computer code faulty lines.
A Senior Programmer develops operations solutions through guiding the development of program specifications and leading programmers. They develop, test, and implement IT solutions.
Cobol programmers and senior programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cobol Programmer | Senior Programmer | |
| Average salary | $84,879 | $105,509 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $112,000 | Between $78,000 And $141,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | California |
| Best paying company | Levi, Ray & Shoup | Cornerstone Research |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a cobol programmer and a senior programmer in terms of educational background:
| Cobol Programmer | Senior Programmer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between cobol programmers' and senior programmers' demographics:
| Cobol Programmer | Senior Programmer | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.3% Female, 24.7% | Male, 81.0% Female, 19.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 15.0% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 19.2% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |