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The differences between senior automation engineers and senior software development 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 senior automation engineer and a senior software development engineer. Additionally, a senior software development engineer has an average salary of $116,926, which is higher than the $107,866 average annual salary of a senior automation engineer.
The top three skills for a senior automation engineer include python, java and PLC. The most important skills for a senior software development engineer are java, software development, and python.
| Senior Automation Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $107,866 | $116,926 |
| Hourly rate | $51.86 | $56.21 |
| Growth rate | - | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 211,113 | 346,833 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A senior automation engineer is responsible for delivering technological solutions designed for software processes. You are expected to collaborate with other teams to help identify and eliminate issues by collecting requirements and executing process automation. Other duties that you will likely perform include identifying new automation opportunities for software processes, designing and implementing quality assurance tests, and identifying bugs and quality issues. You also have to work closely with other departments on how best to improve workflow through automation.
A senior software development engineer specializes in leading the efforts in designing and developing software and information systems, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities typically revolve around installing and repairing existing computer systems, conducting regular maintenance checks, troubleshooting, testing new designs, and performing research and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of operations, improving them to achieve optimal performance. Furthermore, as a senior software development engineer, it is essential to monitor and encourage the team, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Senior automation engineers and senior software development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Automation Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $107,866 | $116,926 |
| Salary range | Between $83,000 And $138,000 | Between $87,000 And $156,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Roku | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior automation engineer and a senior software development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Automation Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between senior automation engineers' and senior software development engineers' demographics:
| Senior Automation Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.9% Female, 13.1% | Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 30.6% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |