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The differences between mobile applications developers and applications programmers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a mobile applications developer, becoming an applications programmer takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a mobile applications developer has an average salary of $99,257, which is higher than the $85,133 average annual salary of an applications programmer.
The top three skills for a mobile applications developer include java, C++ and mobile development. The most important skills for an applications programmer are java, C++, and database.
| Mobile Applications Developer | Applications Programmer | |
| Yearly salary | $99,257 | $85,133 |
| Hourly rate | $47.72 | $40.93 |
| Growth rate | 21% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 252,254 | 215,240 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 8 |
A mobile application developer is responsible for designing programming applications for mobile devices according to clients' specifications and business demands. Mobile application developers must have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, as well as computer system commands to develop efficient scripts and smooth navigation of operating systems. They analyze the clients' needs and recommend application solutions within their budget limitations and timeframe. A mobile application developer identifies inconsistencies and glitches with the output before submission to ensure its stability and optimal performance.
An application programmer is responsible for creating and designing computer systems and applications according to client specifications and business requirements. Application programmers run quality checks on the draft outputs to ensure its stability and efficiency for high-level performance. They also evaluate existing applications and recommend technical solutions to improve scalability. An application programmer must have excellent technical skills with a strong command of programming languages and system codes to determine the feasibility of applications and adjust features as needed.
Mobile applications developers and applications programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mobile Applications Developer | Applications Programmer | |
| Average salary | $99,257 | $85,133 |
| Salary range | Between $75,000 And $130,000 | Between $64,000 And $112,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Dropbox | |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Finance |
There are a few differences between a mobile applications developer and an applications programmer in terms of educational background:
| Mobile Applications Developer | Applications Programmer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between mobile applications developers' and applications programmers' demographics:
| Mobile Applications Developer | Applications Programmer | |
| Average age | 39 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.5% Female, 17.5% | Male, 74.6% Female, 25.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% Asian, 16.4% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |