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The differences between consultants-application development and systems consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a consultant-application development, becoming a systems consultant takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a consultant-application development has an average salary of $111,633, which is higher than the $99,659 average annual salary of a systems consultant.
The top three skills for a consultant-application development include java, application development and architecture. The most important skills for a systems consultant are infrastructure, project management, and C++.
| Consultant-Application Development | Systems Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $111,633 | $99,659 |
| Hourly rate | $53.67 | $47.91 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 282,808 | 134,337 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
Application development consultants write software systems designed for specific tasks. To work in this position, they must have expertise in programming and information technology and strong interpersonal skills to be an effective mentor to junior app developers. Before working on a project, they familiarize themselves with their company's computer system to make working on different processes easier. Since no program is ever made perfect, these consultants anticipate possible issues that users may encounter and create solutions for them.
A systems consultant is responsible for advising on the design, plan, and installation of information technology systems for clients. You will analyze data of an organization, determine the requirements of an information system, and define project objectives. Other duties include providing recommendations on the appropriate software, hardware, and systems, designing and installing new software, and organizing and conducting training for end-users. You will also be responsible for preparing test plans and test scripts needed for system testing.
Consultants-application development and systems consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Consultant-Application Development | Systems Consultant | |
| Average salary | $111,633 | $99,659 |
| Salary range | Between $88,000 And $141,000 | Between $74,000 And $134,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | CME Group | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Internet |
There are a few differences between a consultant-application development and a systems consultant in terms of educational background:
| Consultant-Application Development | Systems Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between consultants-application development' and systems consultants' demographics:
| Consultant-Application Development | Systems Consultant | |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.7% Female, 21.3% | Male, 75.3% Female, 24.7% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 14.6% White, 59.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |