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The differences between firmware engineers and software development engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a firmware engineer, becoming a software development engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a software development engineer has an average salary of $109,147, which is higher than the $97,183 average annual salary of a firmware engineer.
The top three skills for a firmware engineer include python, C and C++. The most important skills for a software development engineer are java, software development, and AWS.
| Firmware Engineer | Software Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $97,183 | $109,147 |
| Hourly rate | $46.72 | $52.47 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 99,014 | 356,971 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
The job of firmware engineers focuses on the hardware from which the software runs. They play an important role in supporting the life cycle of products from its development to implementation. Their duties typically include testing the product properly and troubleshooting technical issues in collaboration with other engineering personnel, evaluating the performance of the system and ensuring that it adheres to the company's standards, and analyzing the design and needs of a system. Firmware engineers are also responsible for improvising the software as requested by clients.
A software development engineer is responsible for designing and developing software systems and applications based on clients' specifications and business needs. Software development engineers manage operating systems and analyze network codes to maintain the compatibility of the software applications and control systems. They also run diagnostic tests for every software structure to ensure smooth navigations and perform immediate troubleshooting for inconsistencies. A software development engineer must have a strong command of programming languages, as well as technological processes and analytical skills.
Firmware engineers and software development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Firmware Engineer | Software Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $97,183 | $109,147 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $129,000 | Between $80,000 And $147,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a firmware engineer and a software development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Firmware Engineer | Software Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between firmware engineers' and software development engineers' demographics:
| Firmware Engineer | Software Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.4% Female, 11.6% | Male, 79.6% Female, 20.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 31.6% White, 50.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 32.7% White, 49.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |