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The differences between program developers and systems programmers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a program developer and a systems programmer. Additionally, a systems programmer has an average salary of $96,017, 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 systems programmer are provide technical assistance, video conferencing, and C++.
| Program Developer | Systems Programmer | |
| Yearly salary | $74,749 | $96,017 |
| Hourly rate | $35.94 | $46.16 |
| Growth rate | -7% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 128,488 | 257,681 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
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 systems programmer is responsible for managing and installing software systems and applications to the company's computer networks to support the efficiency of business functions and operations. Systems programmers coordinate with the systems analyst to conduct quality checks and running configuration tests to ensure the stability of applications and avoid downtimes. They also create resolution reports, design servers, and upgrade network infrastructure as often as needed. A systems programmer must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially the expert command of programming languages and codes.
Program developers and systems programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Program Developer | Systems Programmer | |
| Average salary | $74,749 | $96,017 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $118,000 | Between $66,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | California |
| Best paying company | Western Digital | Apple |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a program developer and a systems programmer in terms of educational background:
| Program Developer | Systems Programmer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between program developers' and systems programmers' demographics:
| Program Developer | Systems Programmer | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% | Male, 84.0% Female, 16.0% |
| 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, 5.2% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 14.9% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |