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The differences between program developers 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 program developer, 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 $74,749 average annual salary of a program developer.
The top three skills for a program developer include development programs, community outreach and project management. The most important skills for a software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Program Developer | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $74,749 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $35.94 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | -7% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 128,488 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 47 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 4 |
A software developer is mostly responsible for the development, implementation, and design of new or modified software products or current business projects. They typically work within the IT department of a company and will be involved in coordinating with the business analysts and development managers to guarantee software projects meet standard requirements. They do complex tasks from testing to evaluating new program design, modification of existing programs, and subsequently developing these modifications. In addition, deploying software tools, maintaining and upgrading existing systems are also part of their responsibilities.
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.
Program developers and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Program Developer | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $74,749 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $118,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | California |
| Best paying company | Western Digital | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | - | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a program developer and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Program Developer | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between program developers' and software engineers' demographics:
| Program Developer | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 47 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 15.0% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 11% | 8% |