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The differences between configuration engineers and staff 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 staff software engineer. Additionally, a staff software engineer has an average salary of $136,653, which is higher than the $101,024 average annual salary of a configuration engineer.
The top three skills for a configuration engineer include python, unix and java. The most important skills for a staff software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Configuration Engineer | Staff Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $101,024 | $136,653 |
| Hourly rate | $48.57 | $65.70 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 202,945 | 371,213 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| 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 Staff Software Engineer is responsible for developing, maintaining, and repairing company software for maximum efficiency and usability. They instruct and mentor their team members in software development techniques and cloud development.
Configuration engineers and staff software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Configuration Engineer | Staff Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $101,024 | $136,653 |
| Salary range | Between $77,000 And $132,000 | Between $100,000 And $186,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | PayPal | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between a configuration engineer and a staff software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Configuration Engineer | Staff Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between configuration engineers' and staff software engineers' demographics:
| Configuration Engineer | Staff Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.6% Female, 19.4% | Male, 83.0% Female, 17.0% |
| 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, 4.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 33.5% White, 48.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |