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The differences between senior programmers and systems 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 systems programmer. Additionally, a senior programmer has an average salary of $105,509, which is higher than the $96,017 average annual salary of a systems programmer.
The top three skills for a senior programmer include macro, SAS and database. The most important skills for a systems programmer are provide technical assistance, video conferencing, and C++.
| Senior Programmer | Systems Programmer | |
| Yearly salary | $105,509 | $96,017 |
| Hourly rate | $50.73 | $46.16 |
| Growth rate | -7% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 209,882 | 257,681 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| 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 systems programmer is responsible for managing and installing software systems and applications to the company's computer networks to support the efficiency of business functions and operations. Systems programmers coordinate with the systems analyst to conduct quality checks and running configuration tests to ensure the stability of applications and avoid downtimes. They also create resolution reports, design servers, and upgrade network infrastructure as often as needed. A systems programmer must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially the expert command of programming languages and codes.
Senior programmers and systems programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Programmer | Systems Programmer | |
| Average salary | $105,509 | $96,017 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $141,000 | Between $66,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Cornerstone Research | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Finance |
There are a few differences between a senior programmer and a systems programmer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Programmer | Systems Programmer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| 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 systems programmers' demographics:
| Senior Programmer | Systems Programmer | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.0% Female, 19.0% | Male, 84.0% Female, 16.0% |
| 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, 5.2% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 14.9% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |