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The differences between computational linguists and software 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 computational linguist and a software programmer. Additionally, a computational linguist has an average salary of $79,804, which is higher than the $71,612 average annual salary of a software programmer.
The top three skills for a computational linguist include python, NLP and java. The most important skills for a software programmer are java, javascript, and software development.
| Computational Linguist | Software Programmer | |
| Yearly salary | $79,804 | $71,612 |
| Hourly rate | $38.37 | $34.43 |
| Growth rate | -7% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 316 | 253,235 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
A computational linguist is a computer expert who specializes in language and artificial intelligence programs. Their responsibilities revolve around performing research and analysis, identifying the company's needs, developing language programs, studying client feedback, establishing test structures, and performing regular maintenance checks to ensure quality and efficiency. They typically manage teams throughout the design and development procedures, providing consultations and guidelines. Furthermore, as a computational linguist, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with team members for a smooth workflow.
A software programmer is an information technology expert who specializes in programming software and generating codes, ensuring quality and efficiency. In a company setting, they typically perform research and analysis to understand and identify the projects' needs, develop and implement test structures, troubleshoot and resolve issues, write technical instructions, and provide technical support to staff as needed. Most of the time, a software programmer works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth workflow.
Computational linguists and software programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Computational Linguist | Software Programmer | |
| Average salary | $79,804 | $71,612 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $122,000 | Between $55,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | Panaya |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a computational linguist and a software programmer in terms of educational background:
| Computational Linguist | Software Programmer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Linguistics | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of California - Los Angeles | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between computational linguists' and software programmers' demographics:
| Computational Linguist | Software Programmer | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.5% Female, 41.5% | Male, 71.3% Female, 28.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 18.3% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.2% Asian, 25.2% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |