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The differences between senior information technology developers and systems developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a senior information technology developer, becoming a systems developer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior information technology developer has an average salary of $108,906, which is higher than the $97,230 average annual salary of a systems developer.
The top three skills for a senior information technology developer include java, software development and spring boot. The most important skills for a systems developer are java, python, and C++.
| Senior Information Technology Developer | Systems Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $108,906 | $97,230 |
| Hourly rate | $52.36 | $46.75 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 334,136 | 322,419 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
Senior information technology (IT) developers are IT management professionals who are responsible for writing code and contribute to the design and implementation of software programs. These developers must collaborate with department managers to plan the layout and set up custom department sites while compiling departmental information. They must nurture a team of talented professionals to further accelerate application development, support maintenance, and product evolution. Senior IT developers must also use web services to implement automation of the business process and reduce redundancy.
A Systems Developer is responsible for designing and creating software applications and server programs to support business requirements and client specifications. System Developers run multiple diagnostic tests to the systems to ensure performance and stability and revise scripts for optimization as needed. They also evaluate and improve existing networks, develop infrastructure, and set configuration. A Systems Developer must have excellent communication and technical skills, as well as a strong command of programming languages and system codes to identify network structures and operating systems.
Senior information technology developers and systems developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Information Technology Developer | Systems Developer | |
| Average salary | $108,906 | $97,230 |
| Salary range | Between $84,000 And $140,000 | Between $73,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Zendesk | Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a senior information technology developer and a systems developer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Information Technology Developer | Systems Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior information technology developers' and systems developers' demographics:
| Senior Information Technology Developer | Systems Developer | |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.8% Female, 18.2% | Male, 76.5% Female, 23.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 16.6% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |