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The differences between junior developers 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 junior developer and a software developer. Additionally, a software developer has an average salary of $87,521, which is higher than the $75,006 average annual salary of a junior developer.
The top three skills for a junior developer include java, C++ and javascript. The most important skills for a software developer are java, python, and C++.
| Junior Developer | Software Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $75,006 | $87,521 |
| Hourly rate | $36.06 | $42.08 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 259,820 | 294,329 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A junior developer is an individual with an entry-level position that is hired by an information technology (IT) company to work with its development team to write and maintain code for computer applications. Being an entry-level position, junior developers are required to learn the codebase and gain experience from working on large projects. They attend and participate in meetings conducted by the development team to discuss issues with other developers. Junior developers must also participate in paired programming with mid-level and senior developers.
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.
Junior developers and software developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Developer | Software Developer | |
| Average salary | $75,006 | $87,521 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $99,000 | Between $67,000 And $113,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Atlassian | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a junior developer and a software developer in terms of educational background:
| Junior Developer | Software Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between junior developers' and software developers' demographics:
| Junior Developer | Software Developer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.9% Female, 24.1% | 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% |