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The differences between senior application specialists and application managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a senior application specialist, becoming an application manager takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, an application manager has an average salary of $122,748, which is higher than the $108,846 average annual salary of a senior application specialist.
The top three skills for a senior application specialist include project management, java and technical support. The most important skills for an application manager are customer service, project management, and application development.
| Senior Application Specialist | Application Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $108,846 | $122,748 |
| Hourly rate | $52.33 | $59.01 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 121,655 | 125,760 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 42 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 8 |
A senior application specialist works extensively in the software sector of their company. They alter or replace existing software to remove issues. They also work in a team with other developers to monitor devices and applications. They may have to develop user manuals for technical data.
An application manager is in charge of overseeing software applications and systems within a company, ensuring efficiency and quality. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around conducting research and analysis to identify company needs, assessing existing applications to determine their strengths and weaknesses, and implementing solutions to optimize the quality of services. They may also conduct regular maintenance checks to ensure the efficiency of applications, performing corrective measures when necessary. Furthermore, as an application manager, it is essential to coordinate with the information technology staff, encouraging them to reach goals and new heights.
Senior application specialists and application managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Application Specialist | Application Manager | |
| Average salary | $108,846 | $122,748 |
| Salary range | Between $86,000 And $137,000 | Between $93,000 And $160,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Vista Equity Partners | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a senior application specialist and an application manager in terms of educational background:
| Senior Application Specialist | Application Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between senior application specialists' and application managers' demographics:
| Senior Application Specialist | Application Manager | |
| Average age | 42 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.3% Female, 39.7% | Male, 71.1% Female, 28.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 13.3% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 13.5% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |