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The differences between devops engineers and software developers 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 software developer. Additionally, a devops engineer has an average salary of $104,019, which is higher than the $87,521 average annual salary of a software developer.
The top three skills for a devops engineer include python, docker and java. The most important skills for a software developer are java, python, and C++.
| Devops Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $104,019 | $87,521 |
| Hourly rate | $50.01 | $42.08 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 257,025 | 294,329 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| 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 software developer is responsible for designing application systems to support the user and business' needs. Duties of a software developer include testing software codes, performing diagnostic programs and troubleshooting, interpreting system data and establishing efficient parameters, and ensuring the compatibility of the systems. A software developer must have an excellent knowledge of computer programs and programming languages to understand its complexities, especially on detecting system defects and malfunctions. A software developer must have strong attention to detail, communication, and decision-making skills to coordinate with the team and also work independently under minimal supervision.
Devops engineers and software developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Devops Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Average salary | $104,019 | $87,521 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $135,000 | Between $67,000 And $113,000 |
| 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 | Finance |
There are a few differences between a devops engineer and a software developer in terms of educational background:
| Devops Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between devops engineers' and software developers' demographics:
| Devops Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.2% Female, 13.8% | Male, 79.3% Female, 20.7% |
| 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, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |