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The differences between development technicians and senior software development 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 development technician and a senior software development engineer. Additionally, a senior software development engineer has an average salary of $116,926, which is higher than the $92,109 average annual salary of a development technician.
The top three skills for a development technician include java, C++ and C #. The most important skills for a senior software development engineer are java, software development, and python.
| Development Technician | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $92,109 | $116,926 |
| Hourly rate | $44.28 | $56.21 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 82,959 | 346,833 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
A senior software development engineer specializes in leading the efforts in designing and developing software and information systems, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities typically revolve around installing and repairing existing computer systems, conducting regular maintenance checks, troubleshooting, testing new designs, and performing research and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of operations, improving them to achieve optimal performance. Furthermore, as a senior software development engineer, it is essential to monitor and encourage the team, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Development technicians and senior software development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Development Technician | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $92,109 | $116,926 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $134,000 | Between $87,000 And $156,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | Washington |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a development technician and a senior software development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Development Technician | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between development technicians' and senior software development engineers' demographics:
| Development Technician | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.6% Female, 32.4% | Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1% |
| 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, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 30.6% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |