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The differences between mainframe programmers and systems programmers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a mainframe programmer and a systems programmer. Additionally, a systems programmer has an average salary of $96,017, which is higher than the $87,036 average annual salary of a mainframe programmer.
The top three skills for a mainframe programmer include JCL, DB2 and MQ. The most important skills for a systems programmer are provide technical assistance, video conferencing, and C++.
| Mainframe Programmer | Systems Programmer | |
| Yearly salary | $87,036 | $96,017 |
| Hourly rate | $41.84 | $46.16 |
| Growth rate | -7% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 205,724 | 257,681 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
Mainframe programmers and systems programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mainframe Programmer | Systems Programmer | |
| Average salary | $87,036 | $96,017 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $117,000 | Between $66,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | Olympia, WA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Randstad North America, Inc. | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a mainframe programmer and a systems programmer in terms of educational background:
| Mainframe Programmer | Systems Programmer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between mainframe programmers' and systems programmers' demographics:
| Mainframe Programmer | Systems Programmer | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6% | Male, 84.0% Female, 16.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 23.2% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 5.2% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 14.9% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |