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The differences between senior programmers and computer programmers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a senior programmer and a computer programmer. Additionally, a senior programmer has an average salary of $105,509, which is higher than the $70,979 average annual salary of a computer programmer.
The top three skills for a senior programmer include macro, SAS and database. The most important skills for a computer programmer are C #, java, and javascript.
| Senior Programmer | Computer Programmer | |
| Yearly salary | $105,509 | $70,979 |
| Hourly rate | $50.73 | $34.12 |
| Growth rate | -7% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 209,882 | 205,491 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
A Senior Programmer develops operations solutions through guiding the development of program specifications and leading programmers. They develop, test, and implement IT solutions.
A Computer Programmer is a specialist in writing computer programs as well as mobile applications. In addition to writing and testing code written, they are responsible for installing updates for software, debugging or improving functionality, troubleshooting parts of the program that is not functioning, and rewriting code for computer programs to be compatible in different operating systems. They also work to prevent data leaks and breaches in security by identifying malicious software and building firewalls.
Senior programmers and computer programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Programmer | Computer Programmer | |
| Average salary | $105,509 | $70,979 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $141,000 | Between $55,000 And $90,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Cornerstone Research | |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Finance |
There are a few differences between a senior programmer and a computer programmer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Programmer | Computer Programmer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | University of Chicago |
Here are the differences between senior programmers' and computer programmers' demographics:
| Senior Programmer | Computer Programmer | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.0% Female, 19.0% | Male, 70.2% Female, 29.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 19.2% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 15.0% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |