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The differences between senior product development engineers and senior software development 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 product development engineer, becoming a senior software development engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a senior software development engineer has an average salary of $116,926, which is higher than the $98,348 average annual salary of a senior product development engineer.
The top three skills for a senior product development engineer include CAD, solidworks and product development. The most important skills for a senior software development engineer are java, software development, and python.
| Senior Product Development Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $98,348 | $116,926 |
| Hourly rate | $47.28 | $56.21 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 195,294 | 346,833 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A product development engineer designs and develops new products in adherence to project goals and guidelines. They primarily perform research and assessments to identify and understand project requirements, select materials, develop drafts, create blueprints and prototypes, establish test structures for quality assurance, and facilitate upgrades as necessary. They can also produce product specifications and provide technical support to staff as necessary. Most product development engineers work in a team environment, which requires an open communication line for an efficient workflow.
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 product development engineers and senior software development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Product Development Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $98,348 | $116,926 |
| Salary range | Between $76,000 And $126,000 | Between $87,000 And $156,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sunnyvale, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior product development engineer and a senior software development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Product Development Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between senior product development engineers' and senior software development engineers' demographics:
| Senior Product Development Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.5% Female, 9.5% | Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.5% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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 | 5% | 8% |