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The differences between geospatial engineers and 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 geospatial engineer and a software engineer. Additionally, a software engineer has an average salary of $100,260, which is higher than the $92,650 average annual salary of a geospatial engineer.
The top three skills for a geospatial engineer include disaster relief, intelligence data and digital data. The most important skills for a software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Geospatial Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $92,650 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $44.54 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 178,326 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Geospatial engineers are known to be recent additions to the engineering family. Their tasks include producing up to date plans, computer-based measuring to map the best position, and providing control point to monitor the future movements of structures like a bridge. They specialize in photogrammetry and remote sensing. They perform basic geographic information systems on navigational data and coastal areas, collect and organize digital features in the geospatial database, and provide imagery and geospatial products to support multiple joint military operations.
A software engineer is a computer science professional who is responsible for the development of information systems, designing and building computer systems software and applications software. They often prefer to call themselves as a software developer or computer programmer. They have substantial knowledge of programming languages, software development, and computer operating systems, and other technologies. They use these to turn a plan into a final output. They can create a design, test, and develop software based on the needs of their clients.
Geospatial engineers and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Geospatial Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $92,650 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $132,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | - | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a geospatial engineer and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Geospatial Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Geography | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Dartmouth College | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between geospatial engineers' and software engineers' demographics:
| Geospatial Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.1% Female, 17.9% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 26.2% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 34.0% White, 48.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |