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The differences between software designers and staff 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 designer and a staff software engineer. Additionally, a staff software engineer has an average salary of $136,653, which is higher than the $107,449 average annual salary of a software designer.
The top three skills for a software designer include python, java and software development. The most important skills for a staff software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Software Designer | Staff Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $107,449 | $136,653 |
| Hourly rate | $51.66 | $65.70 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 313,443 | 371,213 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Software designers transform customers' requirements into services. They analyze customers' needs, conduct negotiations, and create designs based on that data. They typically work with teams of programmers. They are also responsible for creating project documentation.
A Staff Software Engineer is responsible for developing, maintaining, and repairing company software for maximum efficiency and usability. They instruct and mentor their team members in software development techniques and cloud development.
Software designers and staff software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Designer | Staff Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $107,449 | $136,653 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $144,000 | Between $100,000 And $186,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Globant | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between a software designer and a staff software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Designer | Staff Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between software designers' and staff software engineers' demographics:
| Software Designer | Staff Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.0% Female, 20.0% | Male, 83.0% Female, 17.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 33.5% White, 48.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |