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The differences between senior database developers and software developers 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 database developer and a software developer. Additionally, a senior database developer has an average salary of $108,559, which is higher than the $87,521 average annual salary of a software developer.
The top three skills for a senior database developer include ETL, database development and java. The most important skills for a software developer are java, python, and C++.
| Senior Database Developer | Software Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $108,559 | $87,521 |
| Hourly rate | $52.19 | $42.08 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 87,912 | 294,329 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Senior database developers are responsible for supporting various business intelligence and performing data evaluation activities to seize data requirements distinctly, accurately, and completely. They collaborate with a wide range of customers, including senior-level executives and reporting developers. Also, they often perform in the early stages of the software lifecycle to outline data and to design the theoretical, logical, and physical data model blueprint with suitable structure and relationships for maximum performance. Additionally, they work in a rapid environment that creates, executes, and maintains mission analytical information systems for the data warehouse community, ensuring the long-term reliability, flexibility, and sustainability of the systems.
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.
Senior database developers and software developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Database Developer | Software Developer | |
| Average salary | $108,559 | $87,521 |
| Salary range | Between $85,000 And $137,000 | Between $67,000 And $113,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a senior database developer and a software developer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Database Developer | Software Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | 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 database developers' and software developers' demographics:
| Senior Database Developer | Software Developer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.3% Female, 20.7% | Male, 79.3% Female, 20.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.5% 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 | 8% | 8% |