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The differences between senior development engineers and senior systems software engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a senior development engineer, becoming a senior systems software engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a senior systems software engineer has an average salary of $122,275, which is higher than the $113,763 average annual salary of a senior development engineer.
The top three skills for a senior development engineer include java, python and C++. The most important skills for a senior systems software engineer are python, java, and software development.
| Senior Development Engineer | Senior Systems Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $113,763 | $122,275 |
| Hourly rate | $54.69 | $58.79 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 295,281 | 359,248 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A senior development engineer is responsible for designing and developing products and systems according to the needs of an organization. They typically conduct extensive research and analysis, create plans with designers and other engineers, build prototypes and test structures, troubleshoot problems, and create strategies to optimize operations. Moreover, being the senior development engineer, they must lead and serve as a role model to junior engineers in reaching goals, all while enforcing and promoting the company's policies and regulations.
A senior systems software engineer is an individual responsible for managing a firm's computer network systems. The professional's roles include resolving complex application and network issues through the development of new solutions, overseeing systems developers and other information technology (IT) personnel, and integrating new technology. The job requires proficiency in the MySQL, Python, and Linux programming languages and excellent skills in organizational and time management and communication. The education requirements for the job include a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer science, or a related field.
Senior development engineers and senior systems software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Development Engineer | Senior Systems Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $113,763 | $122,275 |
| Salary range | Between $87,000 And $148,000 | Between $91,000 And $163,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Netflix | Netflix |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior development engineer and a senior systems software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Development Engineer | Senior Systems Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between senior development engineers' and senior systems software engineers' demographics:
| Senior Development Engineer | Senior Systems Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0% | Male, 85.5% Female, 14.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 8% |