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The differences between software automation engineers and software engineers-consultant 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 automation engineer and a software engineer-consultant. Additionally, a software engineer-consultant has an average salary of $113,987, which is higher than the $102,812 average annual salary of a software automation engineer.
The top three skills for a software automation engineer include python, java and C #. The most important skills for a software engineer-consultant are java, python, and architecture.
| Software Automation Engineer | Software Engineer-Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $102,812 | $113,987 |
| Hourly rate | $49.43 | $54.80 |
| Growth rate | - | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 229,709 | 317,033 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A software automation engineer specializes in designing and developing software and systems. In a company setting, it is their duty to identify the strengths and weaknesses of current systems and devices, conceptualize plans according to the company's needs, develop prototypes and test structures, and implement solutions against problem areas. They must also coordinate with software teams, provide technical support, and maintain extensive records. Furthermore, as a software automation engineer, it is essential to conduct regular maintenance checks, perform repairs and upgrades as needed.
A software engineer consultant develops and recommends strategies to optimize a company's software engineering operations. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting extensive research and analysis to find new opportunities, performing software evaluations and risk assessments, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of existing processes, and developing solutions against problem areas. Through the findings of their research, a software engineer consultant draws conclusions and recommendations that will help the company to reach their short and long-term goals and resolve issues or concerns.
Software automation engineers and software engineers-consultant have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Automation Engineer | Software Engineer-Consultant | |
| Average salary | $102,812 | $113,987 |
| Salary range | Between $76,000 And $138,000 | Between $85,000 And $152,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Foster City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Netflix | Advent Software |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a software automation engineer and a software engineer-consultant in terms of educational background:
| Software Automation Engineer | Software Engineer-Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between software automation engineers' and software engineers-consultant' demographics:
| Software Automation Engineer | Software Engineer-Consultant | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.1% Female, 21.9% | Male, 86.1% Female, 13.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |