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The differences between data engineers and software design 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 data engineer and a software design engineer. Additionally, a data engineer has an average salary of $109,675, which is higher than the $98,799 average annual salary of a software design engineer.
The top three skills for a data engineer include python, java and cloud. The most important skills for a software design engineer are software development, python, and software design.
| Data Engineer | Software Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $109,675 | $98,799 |
| Hourly rate | $52.73 | $47.50 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 303,105 | 315,080 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A data engineer is someone who makes data science possible. This IT job requires the search for data set trends and algorithm development to make raw data more beneficial to the enterprise. Data engineers are responsible for establishing and maintaining an environment that permits other data functions. The necessary skills for the job include in-depth knowledge of multiple programming languages and SQL database design. Among the other skills data engineers should develop include data warehousing and architecture, data mining and modeling, and statistical regression analysis.
A software design engineer or SDE is part of a software development enterprise. Software design engineers determine the problems or issues and figure out how to establish programs to ease and automate the situations. They fabricate style sheets for the management of the individual aspects of huge engineering projects. It is their job to develop strategies for hardware architecture and software engineering. They also handle and mentor engineering interns for professional guidance.
Data engineers and software design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Data Engineer | Software Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $109,675 | $98,799 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $149,000 | Between $74,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a data engineer and a software design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Data Engineer | Software Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between data engineers' and software design engineers' demographics:
| Data Engineer | Software Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.5% Female, 18.5% | Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 30.1% White, 52.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |