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The differences between configuration engineers and 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 configuration engineer and a software engineer. Additionally, a configuration engineer has an average salary of $101,024, which is higher than the $100,260 average annual salary of a software engineer.
The top three skills for a configuration engineer include python, unix and java. The most important skills for a software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Configuration Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $101,024 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $48.57 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 202,945 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Configuration Engineer specializes in designing and developing computer systems and products. Among their responsibilities include understanding the company's needs, performing extensive research and analysis, coordinating with fellow engineers and experts, developing blueprints and prototypes, and creating test structures to be the basis for improvement. They may gather and analyze data from existing projects to identify their strengths and weaknesses, implementing solutions against problem areas. Moreover, as a configuration engineer, it is essential to monitor the progress of staff, all while implementing safety policies and standards.
A software engineer is a computer science professional who is responsible for the development of information systems, designing and building computer systems software and applications software. They often prefer to call themselves as a software developer or computer programmer. They have substantial knowledge of programming languages, software development, and computer operating systems, and other technologies. They use these to turn a plan into a final output. They can create a design, test, and develop software based on the needs of their clients.
Configuration engineers and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Configuration Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $101,024 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $77,000 And $132,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | PayPal | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a configuration engineer and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Configuration Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between configuration engineers' and software engineers' demographics:
| Configuration Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.6% Female, 19.4% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.7% White, 52.1% 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 | 8% | 8% |