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The differences between devops engineers 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 devops engineer and a senior software development engineer. Additionally, a senior software development engineer has an average salary of $116,926, which is higher than the $104,019 average annual salary of a devops engineer.
The top three skills for a devops engineer include python, docker and java. The most important skills for a senior software development engineer are java, software development, and python.
| Devops Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $104,019 | $116,926 |
| Hourly rate | $50.01 | $56.21 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 257,025 | 346,833 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
DevOps engineers are practitioners of DevOps, a software development strategy that aims to bridge the gap between computer software development and information technology (IT) operations. They work closely with computer software developers and other IT staff to manage code deployments and releases. Their duties include overseeing the IT infrastructure supporting software code in different environments, choosing a suitable deployment model, and directing testing protocol needed to validate releases. Other tasks they may likely perform include preparing test data, analyzing results, and troubleshooting issues and 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.
Devops engineers and senior software development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Devops Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $104,019 | $116,926 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $135,000 | Between $87,000 And $156,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a devops engineer and a senior software development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Devops Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between devops engineers' and senior software development engineers' demographics:
| Devops Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.2% Female, 13.8% | Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.2% 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% |