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The differences between requirements engineers and senior software engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a requirements engineer and a senior software engineer. Additionally, a senior software engineer has an average salary of $114,494, which is higher than the $87,170 average annual salary of a requirements engineer.
The top three skills for a requirements engineer include java, software development and powerpoint. The most important skills for a senior software engineer are java, python, and javascript.
| Requirements Engineer | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $87,170 | $114,494 |
| Hourly rate | $41.91 | $55.05 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 166,444 | 338,989 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Requirements engineers are responsible for the analysis, documentation, coordination, and management of requirements regarding new software projects. They identify and understand the customer's project-specific demands and document them in a clear and binding way. Their duties and responsibilities also include preparing well-written and detailed documentation of the project and ensuring the project is designed and built within the legal parameters.
Senior software engineers are experienced employees who would usually take the lead in projects related to software development. They are in charge of determining the needs of the organization, checking whether there are feasible solutions to challenges, and creating plans for the development of a software solution. They provide a sound analysis of data collected during the testing phase of the software and address any problems during the software development phase. Once the software has been developed, they then ensure that it works well and that it addresses the needs and expectations of the users.
Requirements engineers and senior software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Requirements Engineer | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $87,170 | $114,494 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $120,000 | Between $86,000 And $151,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between a requirements engineer and a senior software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Requirements Engineer | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between requirements engineers' and senior software engineers' demographics:
| Requirements Engineer | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.5% Female, 35.5% | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 31.8% White, 50.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |