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The differences between requirements engineers and software developers 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 software developer. Additionally, a software developer has an average salary of $87,521, 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 software developer are java, python, and C++.
| Requirements Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $87,170 | $87,521 |
| Hourly rate | $41.91 | $42.08 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 166,444 | 294,329 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| 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.
A software developer is responsible for designing application systems to support the user and business' needs. Duties of a software developer include testing software codes, performing diagnostic programs and troubleshooting, interpreting system data and establishing efficient parameters, and ensuring the compatibility of the systems. A software developer must have an excellent knowledge of computer programs and programming languages to understand its complexities, especially on detecting system defects and malfunctions. A software developer must have strong attention to detail, communication, and decision-making skills to coordinate with the team and also work independently under minimal supervision.
Requirements engineers and software developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Requirements Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Average salary | $87,170 | $87,521 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $120,000 | Between $67,000 And $113,000 |
| 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 | Finance |
There are a few differences between a requirements engineer and a software developer in terms of educational background:
| Requirements Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between requirements engineers' and software developers' demographics:
| Requirements Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.5% Female, 35.5% | Male, 79.3% Female, 20.7% |
| 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, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |