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The differences between software consultants and computer 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 consultant and a computer software engineer. Additionally, a computer software engineer has an average salary of $102,511, which is higher than the $88,605 average annual salary of a software consultant.
The top three skills for a software consultant include web application, database and java. The most important skills for a computer software engineer are python, software development, and java.
| Software Consultant | Computer Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,605 | $102,511 |
| Hourly rate | $42.60 | $49.28 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 275,746 | 326,143 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A software consultant is responsible for monitoring and maintaining the technological content and system applications of an organization, ensuring its efficiency and optimal performance. Software consultants design software systems, following clients' specifications and business needs. They must have excellent knowledge of the technology systems, programming languages, and system codes to create software processes and manage the network systems. A software consultant runs multiple diagnostic tests and creates troubleshooting reports for technical support reference.
A computer software engineer designs, develops, and maintains computer systems and software using their knowledge of computer programming languages, engineering principles, and computer operating systems. As a computer software engineer, your duties will vary depending on your specialization but typically include reviewing and analyzing the client's needs and requirements, designing, developing, and testing the software application to ensure those needs are met, and creating algorithms to instruct the computer what to do. You are also expected to provide software upgrades recommendations for existing applications or systems.
Software consultants and computer software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Consultant | Computer Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $88,605 | $102,511 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $115,000 | Between $77,000 And $134,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Washington |
| Best paying company | Silver Peak | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Finance |
There are a few differences between a software consultant and a computer software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Consultant | Computer Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between software consultants' and computer software engineers' demographics:
| Software Consultant | Computer Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.3% Female, 24.7% | Male, 80.5% Female, 19.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |