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The differences between software applications engineers and associate 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 software applications engineer and an associate software engineer. Additionally, a software applications engineer has an average salary of $104,885, which is higher than the $78,981 average annual salary of an associate software engineer.
The top three skills for a software applications engineer include java, python and software development. The most important skills for an associate software engineer are java, python, and C++.
| Software Applications Engineer | Associate Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $104,885 | $78,981 |
| Hourly rate | $50.43 | $37.97 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 325,329 | 298,481 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A software application engineer specializes in designing and developing software, ensuring quality and efficiency. Their responsibilities typically revolve around meeting with clients to discuss their needs and preferences, coordinating with different engineers and specialists, installing and repairing systems, devising tests and execution structures, and conducting maintenance checks to ensure optimal performance. They may also improve existing software and provide customers with regular technical support. Furthermore, in a company setting, a software application engineer may have the task of producing progress reports, maintaining databases, and devising training programs for employees.
An associate software engineer is an individual who is responsible for improving existing software or designing new application software. Working under the supervision of a senior software engineer and together with a team of engineering professionals, associate software engineers must be able to code software and ensure that it can run with different types of technology. They must have the technical knowledge and expertise of commanding programming languages such as JAVA, HTML, and CSS. Associate software engineers are also required to assist the QA team in testing the software before it is released to the customers.
Software applications engineers and associate software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Applications Engineer | Associate Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $104,885 | $78,981 |
| Salary range | Between $77,000 And $141,000 | Between $60,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | JPMorgan Chase & Co. |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a software applications engineer and an associate software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Applications Engineer | Associate Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between software applications engineers' and associate software engineers' demographics:
| Software Applications Engineer | Associate Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.8% Female, 20.2% | Male, 67.3% Female, 32.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.7% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 39.6% White, 43.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |