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The differences between engineering programmers and mainframe developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both an engineering programmer and a mainframe developer. Additionally, an engineering programmer has an average salary of $95,776, which is higher than the $90,902 average annual salary of a mainframe developer.
The top three skills for an engineering programmer include C++, troubleshoot and PC. The most important skills for a mainframe developer are DB2, JCL, and CICS.
| Engineering Programmer | Mainframe Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $95,776 | $90,902 |
| Hourly rate | $46.05 | $43.70 |
| Growth rate | -7% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 245,309 | 255,034 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
Running programs on a computer is tough to understand, so an engineering programmer's expertise is needed. They often work alongside software programmers to improve their works, apply their creations and run them on the computer. They assist computer programmers in creating a software program to locate, store, secure, and retrieve data and design software solutions for future computer difficulties. In a company, they can be part of the team that handles customer complaints online and run software to work with it, or they can provide software that oversees staffs' work ethics.
A mainframe developer specializes in designing and developing information technology systems. Their responsibilities include performing system installations and modifications, creating test structures, gathering and analyzing data, conducting risk assessments, providing support for project requirements, and implementing plans such as disaster recovery and interface layout. They may also investigate client feedback, troubleshoot issues, and perform systems repairs as needed. Furthermore, as a mainframe developer, it is essential to maintain regular maintenance checks, providing technical support and guidelines to company employees.
Engineering programmers and mainframe developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engineering Programmer | Mainframe Developer | |
| Average salary | $95,776 | $90,902 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $138,000 | Between $70,000 And $117,000 |
| Highest paying City | Novato, CA | Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Insurance |
There are a few differences between an engineering programmer and a mainframe developer in terms of educational background:
| Engineering Programmer | Mainframe Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between engineering programmers' and mainframe developers' demographics:
| Engineering Programmer | Mainframe Developer | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8% | Male, 73.6% Female, 26.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 14.9% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.3% Asian, 26.0% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |