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The differences between devops engineers and senior software 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 engineer. Additionally, a senior software engineer has an average salary of $114,494, 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 engineer are java, python, and javascript.
| Devops Engineer | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $104,019 | $114,494 |
| Hourly rate | $50.01 | $55.05 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 257,025 | 338,989 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 3 |
| 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.
Senior software engineers are experienced employees who would usually take the lead in projects related to software development. They are in charge of determining the needs of the organization, checking whether there are feasible solutions to challenges, and creating plans for the development of a software solution. They provide a sound analysis of data collected during the testing phase of the software and address any problems during the software development phase. Once the software has been developed, they then ensure that it works well and that it addresses the needs and expectations of the users.
Devops engineers and senior software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Devops Engineer | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $104,019 | $114,494 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $135,000 | Between $86,000 And $151,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Retail |
There are a few differences between a devops engineer and a senior software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Devops Engineer | Senior Software 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 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between devops engineers' and senior software engineers' demographics:
| Devops Engineer | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.2% Female, 13.8% | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% |
| 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, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 31.8% White, 50.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |