What is a software development engineer and how to become one

Q: How many years does it take to become a software developer?

It takes less than one year to become a software developer. You may be able to become a software developer in a matter of weeks depending on your capability. The fastest way to become a software developer is through a coding boot camp which can take between 17-36 weeks.

Q: Is a software engineer the same as a developer?

No, a software engineer is not the same as a developer. The main difference between a developer and software engineer is in terms of their roles and responsibilities working on the project throughout its lifespan.

Q: Is blockchain developer a good career?

Yes, blockchain developer is a good career. In fact, blockchain is the most sought-after profession in the programming world. As blockchain technology gains popularity across industries, the demand for skilled blockchain developers has also increased.

Q: What is the role of a software development engineer?

The role of a software development engineer is to design, develop, and test software and applications for computers. This role includes directing and participating in programming activities, monitoring and evaluating system performance, and designing and implementing new programs and features.

Q: What qualifications do you need to be a software engineer?

The qualification you need to be a software engineer is a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field. Additionally, most software engineers must be well-versed in several programming languages.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Frank McCown Ph.D.,

Kevin Treu Ph.D.

A software development engineer designs and tests software applications. They are involved in the software development life cycle, from requirements gathering to deployment and maintenance. Software development engineers work in teams and collaborate with other professionals such as project managers, designers, and quality assurance specialists. They use programming and tools to write code that meets user needs. To be successful, software development engineers need to have strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.

What general advice would you give to a software development engineer?

Frank McCown Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Harding University

The market is stable for software developers, despite the economic challenges created by the pandemic. Before accepting a job offer, talk to the company's employees through online meetings or email, and see what they think of the company. Do they enjoy their work? Are there opportunities to learn new technologies? How does the company treat their employees? There's a good chance you will be working remotely in your first job, so you will need to exercise a lot of self-discipline, be punctual for online meetings, do the work you've been assigned, and know when to ask questions when you get stuck. Expect a steeper-than-normal learning curve if you are working remotely instead of in an office.

ScoreSoftware Development EngineerUS Average

Salary

7.8

Avg. Salary $109,147

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.0

Growth rate 21%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 32.70%

Black or African American 4.65%

Hispanic or Latino 8.42%

Unknown 4.86%

White 49.20%

Gender

female 20.45%

male 79.55%

Age - 38

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38

Stress level

4.0

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.9

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.6

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a software development engineer?

Pros

High demand for software engineers
Good job security
Continuous learning and development
Flexibility in choosing technology and industry
Possibility of entrepreneurship and self-employment

Cons

Continuous need to learn new skills and technologies
Sitting for long periods can negatively affect health
Highly competitive job market
High expectations from clients or management
Need for constant attention to detail and problem-solving.

Key steps to become a software development engineer

Explore software development engineer education requirements

Most common software development engineer degrees

Bachelor's

69.9 %

Master's

22.6 %

Associate

4.0 %

Start to develop specific software development engineer skills

Skills	Percentages
Java	16.96%
Software Development	9.50%
AWS	8.32%
Python	7.07%
Web Services	3.46%

Complete relevant software development engineer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New software development engineers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a software development engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real software development engineer resumes.

Research software development engineer duties and responsibilities

Used JavaScript to perform client side validations and managing DOM components.
Develop dynamic e-mails using JavaScript, and hand coding of HTML, XHTML, and CSS.
Used git for source management and Jenkins for continuous integration to perform the regression testing.
Develop Junit test cases and maven scripts.

Prepare your software development engineer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your software development engineer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a software development engineer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable software development engineer resume templates

Build a professional software development engineer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your software development engineer resume.

Apply for software development engineer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a software development engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

Average software development engineer salary

The average software development engineer salary in the United States is $109,147 per year or $52 per hour. Software development engineer salaries range between $80,000 and $147,000 per year.

Average software development engineer salary

$109,147 Yearly

$52.47 hourly

How do software development engineers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Software development engineer reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2024

Pros

Work from home, reasonable salary and benefits

A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2023

Pros

Problem solving and cutting edge technology - always learning and evolving my skill set

Cons

Still have to deal with people :)

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020

Pros

I enjoyed working on creative problems that dealt with the user interface

Cons

I didn't like how technical it could become

Software development engineer FAQs

What is a software development engineer and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a software development engineer?

What are the pros and cons of being a software development engineer?

Software development engineer career paths

Key steps to become a software development engineer

Explore software development engineer education requirements

Most common software development engineer degrees

Start to develop specific software development engineer skills

Complete relevant software development engineer training and internships

Research software development engineer duties and responsibilities

Prepare your software development engineer resume

Choose from 10+ customizable software development engineer resume templates

Apply for software development engineer jobs

How did you land your first software development engineer job

Average software development engineer salary

How do software development engineers rate their job?

Software development engineer reviews

Software development engineer FAQs

How many years does it take to become a software developer?

Is a software engineer the same as a developer?

Is blockchain developer a good career?

What is the role of a software development engineer?

What qualifications do you need to be a software engineer?

Search for software development engineer jobs

Software development engineer jobs by state