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The differences between scientific programmers and software 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 scientific programmer and a software programmer. Additionally, a scientific programmer has an average salary of $83,969, which is higher than the $71,612 average annual salary of a software programmer.
The top three skills for a scientific programmer include python, visualization and linux. The most important skills for a software programmer are java, javascript, and software development.
| Scientific Programmer | Software Programmer | |
| Yearly salary | $83,969 | $71,612 |
| Hourly rate | $40.37 | $34.43 |
| Growth rate | -7% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 120,563 | 253,235 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
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 programmer is an information technology expert who specializes in programming software and generating codes, ensuring quality and efficiency. In a company setting, they typically perform research and analysis to understand and identify the projects' needs, develop and implement test structures, troubleshoot and resolve issues, write technical instructions, and provide technical support to staff as needed. Most of the time, a software programmer works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth workflow.
Scientific programmers and software programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Scientific Programmer | Software Programmer | |
| Average salary | $83,969 | $71,612 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $122,000 | Between $55,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Tech Data | Panaya |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Technology |
There are a few differences between a scientific programmer and a software programmer in terms of educational background:
| Scientific Programmer | Software Programmer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | 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 scientific programmers' and software programmers' demographics:
| Scientific Programmer | Software Programmer | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% | Male, 71.3% Female, 28.7% |
| 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, 4.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.2% Asian, 25.2% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |