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The differences between senior programmers and software 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 software programmer. Additionally, a senior programmer has an average salary of $105,509, which is higher than the $71,612 average annual salary of a software programmer.
The top three skills for a senior programmer include macro, SAS and database. The most important skills for a software programmer are java, javascript, and software development.
| Senior Programmer | Software Programmer | |
| Yearly salary | $105,509 | $71,612 |
| Hourly rate | $50.73 | $34.43 |
| Growth rate | -7% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 209,882 | 253,235 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| 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 software programmer is an information technology expert who specializes in programming software and generating codes, ensuring quality and efficiency. In a company setting, they typically perform research and analysis to understand and identify the projects' needs, develop and implement test structures, troubleshoot and resolve issues, write technical instructions, and provide technical support to staff as needed. Most of the time, a software programmer works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth workflow.
Senior programmers and software programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Programmer | Software Programmer | |
| Average salary | $105,509 | $71,612 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $141,000 | Between $55,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Cornerstone Research | Panaya |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior programmer and a software programmer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Programmer | Software Programmer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior programmers' and software programmers' demographics:
| Senior Programmer | Software Programmer | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.0% Female, 19.0% | Male, 71.3% Female, 28.7% |
| 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, 4.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.2% Asian, 25.2% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |