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The differences between senior computer 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 senior computer 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 $84,843 average annual salary of a senior computer programmer.
The top three skills for a senior computer programmer include C++, C # and java. The most important skills for a software developer are java, python, and C++.
| Senior Computer Programmer | Software Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,843 | $87,521 |
| Hourly rate | $40.79 | $42.08 |
| Growth rate | -7% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 20,337 | 294,329 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 47 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 4 |
Senior computer programmers and software developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Computer Programmer | Software Developer | |
| Average salary | $84,843 | $87,521 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $110,000 | Between $67,000 And $113,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Pacific Gas and Electric | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Finance |
There are a few differences between a senior computer programmer and a software developer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Computer Programmer | Software Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | 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 senior computer programmers' and software developers' demographics:
| Senior Computer Programmer | Software Developer | |
| Average age | 47 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6% | Male, 79.3% Female, 20.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% Asian, 15.1% White, 66.6% 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% |