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The differences between programmer analysts and applications programmers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a programmer analyst, becoming an applications programmer takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, an applications programmer has an average salary of $85,133, which is higher than the $71,563 average annual salary of a programmer analyst.
The top three skills for a programmer analyst include sql server, C++ and java. The most important skills for an applications programmer are java, C++, and database.
| Programmer Analyst | Applications Programmer | |
| Yearly salary | $71,563 | $85,133 |
| Hourly rate | $34.41 | $40.93 |
| Growth rate | 9% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 248,781 | 215,240 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 8 |
A programmer analyst is responsible for monitoring database performance and software applications, performing basic troubleshooting, and improving program operations as needed. Programmer analysts' duties also include making adjustments on the system based on client's specifications, creating reports for any updates and new system procedures, designing specific technology solutions to improve the business operations, and performing necessary code adjustments. A programmer analyst must have extensive knowledge of computer systems and procedures, as well as critical-thinking skills to perform complex tasks under minimal supervision.
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.
Programmer analysts and applications programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Programmer Analyst | Applications Programmer | |
| Average salary | $71,563 | $85,133 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $91,000 | Between $64,000 And $112,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Western Digital | Dropbox |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a programmer analyst and an applications programmer in terms of educational background:
| Programmer Analyst | Applications Programmer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between programmer analysts' and applications programmers' demographics:
| Programmer Analyst | Applications Programmer | |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.8% Female, 28.2% | Male, 74.6% Female, 25.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 19.2% White, 54.3% 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 | 8% | 11% |