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The differences between computer scientists and computer software engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a computer scientist and a computer software engineer. Additionally, a computer scientist has an average salary of $103,238, which is higher than the $102,511 average annual salary of a computer software engineer.
The top three skills for a computer scientist include python, computer system and machine learning. The most important skills for a computer software engineer are python, software development, and java.
| Computer Scientist | Computer Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $103,238 | $102,511 |
| Hourly rate | $49.63 | $49.28 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 59,802 | 326,143 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A computer scientist is responsible for analyzing network infrastructure and designing efficient computer systems according to clients' specifications and business functions. Computer scientists inspect the safety and security of the organization's database, ensuring its protection from malicious activities and unauthorized access. They also manage a large scale of software applications, identifying technical opportunities to improve optimal performance and navigations. A computer scientist must have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, strong command on programming languages and system codes, and the ability to solve technical complexities for conceptualization.
A computer software engineer designs, develops, and maintains computer systems and software using their knowledge of computer programming languages, engineering principles, and computer operating systems. As a computer software engineer, your duties will vary depending on your specialization but typically include reviewing and analyzing the client's needs and requirements, designing, developing, and testing the software application to ensure those needs are met, and creating algorithms to instruct the computer what to do. You are also expected to provide software upgrades recommendations for existing applications or systems.
Computer scientists and computer software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Computer Scientist | Computer Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $103,238 | $102,511 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $144,000 | Between $77,000 And $134,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a computer scientist and a computer software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Computer Scientist | Computer Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between computer scientists' and computer software engineers' demographics:
| Computer Scientist | Computer Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2% | Male, 80.5% Female, 19.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 6.9% Asian, 18.8% White, 64.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |