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The differences between plc programmers and applications programmers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both an plc programmer and an applications programmer. Additionally, an applications programmer has an average salary of $85,133, which is higher than the $70,452 average annual salary of an plc programmer.
The top three skills for an plc programmer include HMI, allen-bradley and hmi programming. The most important skills for an applications programmer are java, C++, and database.
| PLC Programmer | Applications Programmer | |
| Yearly salary | $70,452 | $85,133 |
| Hourly rate | $33.87 | $40.93 |
| Growth rate | -7% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 8,459 | 215,240 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
A Programmable Logic Controller or PLC programmer is a person who has expertise in the logic and language used to create such a program. This person is expected to create, develop, tweak, and troubleshoot a PLC program and enhance it to perfection. This person should have strong programming skills and all the necessary know-how to accomplish tasks outlined by the company's needs developing the PLC program. All programmers are highly essential in a technology-based company.
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.
Plc programmers and applications programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| PLC Programmer | Applications Programmer | |
| Average salary | $70,452 | $85,133 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $101,000 | Between $64,000 And $112,000 |
| Highest paying City | Arlington, VA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | CVR Energy | Dropbox |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Finance |
There are a few differences between an plc programmer and an applications programmer in terms of educational background:
| PLC Programmer | Applications Programmer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between plc programmers' and applications programmers' demographics:
| PLC Programmer | Applications Programmer | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.1% Female, 3.9% | Male, 74.6% Female, 25.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 15.0% White, 66.2% 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 | 11% | 11% |