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The differences between software development engineers and development engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a software development engineer, becoming a development engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a software development engineer has an average salary of $109,147, which is higher than the $93,206 average annual salary of a development engineer.
The top three skills for a software development engineer include java, software development and AWS. The most important skills for a development engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Software Development Engineer | Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $109,147 | $93,206 |
| Hourly rate | $52.47 | $44.81 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 356,971 | 224,881 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A software development engineer is responsible for designing and developing software systems and applications based on clients' specifications and business needs. Software development engineers manage operating systems and analyze network codes to maintain the compatibility of the software applications and control systems. They also run diagnostic tests for every software structure to ensure smooth navigations and perform immediate troubleshooting for inconsistencies. A software development engineer must have a strong command of programming languages, as well as technological processes and analytical skills.
A Development Engineer is responsible for the development and validation of products, systems, and components. They are also responsible for quality control of work and continuous improvement of engineer activities.
Software development engineers and development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Development Engineer | Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $109,147 | $93,206 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $147,000 | Between $70,000 And $122,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a software development engineer and a development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Development Engineer | Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between software development engineers' and development engineers' demographics:
| Software Development Engineer | Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.6% Female, 20.4% | Male, 85.5% Female, 14.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 32.7% White, 49.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.7% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |