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The differences between development technicians and programmers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a development technician, becoming a programmer takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a development technician has an average salary of $92,109, which is higher than the $73,007 average annual salary of a programmer.
The top three skills for a development technician include java, C++ and C #. The most important skills for a programmer are java, javascript, and CSS.
| Development Technician | Programmer | |
| Yearly salary | $92,109 | $73,007 |
| Hourly rate | $44.28 | $35.10 |
| Growth rate | 21% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 82,959 | 234,565 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 39 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 8 |
A development technician is an individual who manages technology development for hardware used in the server systems of an organization. Development technicians are required to organize tasks and resources so that they can complete work and meet deadlines that are according to departmental procedures. They must train production personnel on the standard operating procedures for manufacturing equipment as well as train colleagues in standard operating procedures. Development technicians must also assist Java developers in characterizing and debugging technical problems.
Computer programmers provide assistance and services concerning computer applications and software programs. A computer programmer must be highly-knowledgeable on programming languages and operating systems to create projects and fix any malfunctions under minimal supervision. Computer programmers must have excellent communication and critical-thinking skills to analyze data and request assistance from a senior programmer as needed. They must also be keen on details to oversee possible faulty codes, troubleshooting problems, and upgrading systems to ensure that the program will perform smoothly and efficiently.
Development technicians and programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Development Technician | Programmer | |
| Average salary | $92,109 | $73,007 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $134,000 | Between $54,000 And $98,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Bothell, WA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | Washington |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a development technician and a programmer in terms of educational background:
| Development Technician | Programmer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between development technicians' and programmers' demographics:
| Development Technician | Programmer | |
| Average age | 39 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.6% Female, 32.4% | Male, 74.4% Female, 25.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 17.8% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |