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The differences between scientific programmers and software developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a scientific programmer, becoming a software developer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a software developer has an average salary of $87,521, which is higher than the $83,969 average annual salary of a scientific programmer.
The top three skills for a scientific programmer include python, visualization and linux. The most important skills for a software developer are java, python, and C++.
| Scientific Programmer | Software Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $83,969 | $87,521 |
| Hourly rate | $40.37 | $42.08 |
| Growth rate | -7% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 120,563 | 294,329 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 47 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 4 |
Scientific programmers are professionals who meet with scientists and researchers to determine and understand their program needs. By using their skills in scientific programming, these programmers must write programs from scratch or create by extensively customizing existing tools. They are required to work with senior programmers so that they can enhance their application development knowledge and skills. They must also assist in product testing with research students and collaborate with design engineers and production technicians when conducting system troubleshooting.
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.
Scientific programmers and software developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Scientific Programmer | Software Developer | |
| Average salary | $83,969 | $87,521 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $122,000 | Between $67,000 And $113,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Tech Data | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Finance |
There are a few differences between a scientific programmer and a software developer in terms of educational background:
| Scientific Programmer | Software Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between scientific programmers' and software developers' demographics:
| Scientific Programmer | Software Developer | |
| Average age | 47 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% | Male, 79.3% Female, 20.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 19.1% White, 62.4% 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 | 11% | 8% |