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The differences between senior software application engineers and software engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a senior software application engineer and a software engineer. Additionally, a senior software application engineer has an average salary of $117,345, which is higher than the $100,260 average annual salary of a software engineer.
The top three skills for a senior software application engineer include java, python and architecture. The most important skills for a software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Senior Software Application Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $117,345 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $56.42 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 323,172 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Senior software application engineers usually take the lead in software development-related projects. Proficiency in the Phyton, Java, and JavaScript programming languages is an advantage to succeed in the workplace. The engineers' duties and responsibilities include identifying the needs of the organization, planning for the development of a software solution, and analyzing the data collected during the software testing phase. The core skills that these engineers should possess include creativity and strong analytical and communication skills.
A software engineer is a computer science professional who is responsible for the development of information systems, designing and building computer systems software and applications software. They often prefer to call themselves as a software developer or computer programmer. They have substantial knowledge of programming languages, software development, and computer operating systems, and other technologies. They use these to turn a plan into a final output. They can create a design, test, and develop software based on the needs of their clients.
Senior software application engineers and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Software Application Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $117,345 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $89,000 And $153,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a senior software application engineer and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Software Application Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between senior software application engineers' and software engineers' demographics:
| Senior Software Application Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 34.0% White, 48.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |