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The differences between computer consultants and software consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a computer consultant, becoming a software consultant takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a computer consultant has an average salary of $94,331, which is higher than the $88,605 average annual salary of a software consultant.
The top three skills for a computer consultant include technical support, database and linux. The most important skills for a software consultant are web application, database, and java.
| Computer Consultant | Software Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $94,331 | $88,605 |
| Hourly rate | $45.35 | $42.60 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 79,263 | 275,746 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Computer Consultants assist a company's staff with computer system usage and issues. Computer consultants can be software programmers, hardware system installers, networking specialists, database specialists, and others.
A software consultant is responsible for monitoring and maintaining the technological content and system applications of an organization, ensuring its efficiency and optimal performance. Software consultants design software systems, following clients' specifications and business needs. They must have excellent knowledge of the technology systems, programming languages, and system codes to create software processes and manage the network systems. A software consultant runs multiple diagnostic tests and creates troubleshooting reports for technical support reference.
Computer consultants and software consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Computer Consultant | Software Consultant | |
| Average salary | $94,331 | $88,605 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $131,000 | Between $68,000 And $115,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Novartis | Silver Peak |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a computer consultant and a software consultant in terms of educational background:
| Computer Consultant | Software Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between computer consultants' and software consultants' demographics:
| Computer Consultant | Software Consultant | |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.2% Female, 21.8% | Male, 75.3% Female, 24.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 13.2% White, 54.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |