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The differences between petroleum engineers and software engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a petroleum engineer, becoming a software engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a software engineer has an average salary of $100,260, which is higher than the $99,505 average annual salary of a petroleum engineer.
The top three skills for a petroleum engineer include reservoir engineering, eclipse and production engineering. The most important skills for a software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Petroleum Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $99,505 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $47.84 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 15,188 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 4 |
A petroleum engineer is responsible for developing safe and efficient extracting procedures of drilling oil and gas from the underground surface. Petroleum engineers inspect the safety and stability of tools and equipment before and after every operation, conducting preventive maintenance with the machinery for its optimal performance. They also evaluate the specifications and measurements of the location by studying blueprints and analyzing statistical surveys. A petroleum engineer must have excellent analytical and organizational skills, especially when implementing drilling operations and resolving inconsistencies and equipment failures.
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.
Petroleum engineers and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Petroleum Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $99,505 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $150,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Las Vegas, NV | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | California |
| Best paying company | Berry Petroleum Company | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | - | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a petroleum engineer and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Petroleum Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Petroleum Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between petroleum engineers' and software engineers' demographics:
| Petroleum Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 17.2% White, 63.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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 | 5% | 8% |