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The differences between software development engineers 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 development engineer and a staff software engineer. Additionally, a staff software engineer has an average salary of $136,653, which is higher than the $109,147 average annual salary of a software development engineer.
The top three skills for a software development engineer include java, software development and AWS. The most important skills for a staff software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Software Development Engineer | Staff Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $109,147 | $136,653 |
| Hourly rate | $52.47 | $65.70 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 356,971 | 371,213 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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 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 development engineers and staff software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Development Engineer | Staff Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $109,147 | $136,653 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $147,000 | Between $100,000 And $186,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Meta | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between a software development engineer and a staff software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Development Engineer | 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 development engineers' and staff software engineers' demographics:
| Software Development Engineer | Staff Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.6% Female, 20.4% | Male, 83.0% Female, 17.0% |
| 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, 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% |