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The differences between product developers and systems developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 8-10 years to become a product developer, becoming a systems developer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a systems developer has an average salary of $97,230, which is higher than the $88,629 average annual salary of a product developer.
The top three skills for a product developer include product development, R and develop user. The most important skills for a systems developer are java, python, and C++.
| Product Developer | Systems Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,629 | $97,230 |
| Hourly rate | $42.61 | $46.75 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 147,035 | 322,419 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 6 |
A product developer is responsible for creating the designs of an industrial product based on the client's specifications and budget requirements. Product developers work closely with the whole design team to strategize and execute plans within the agreed timeframe. Product developers must be updated with the current industry trends, developing designs that would be competitive in the market, boosting the company's brand image to attract potential clients, and generate more revenues. A product developer should have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, as well as utilizing various software tools to create high-quality designs.
A Systems Developer is responsible for designing and creating software applications and server programs to support business requirements and client specifications. System Developers run multiple diagnostic tests to the systems to ensure performance and stability and revise scripts for optimization as needed. They also evaluate and improve existing networks, develop infrastructure, and set configuration. A Systems Developer must have excellent communication and technical skills, as well as a strong command of programming languages and system codes to identify network structures and operating systems.
Product developers and systems developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Developer | Systems Developer | |
| Average salary | $88,629 | $97,230 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $123,000 | Between $73,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a product developer and a systems developer in terms of educational background:
| Product Developer | Systems Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between product developers' and systems developers' demographics:
| Product Developer | Systems Developer | |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.1% Female, 38.9% | Male, 76.5% Female, 23.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 16.6% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 8% |