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The differences between software development managers and software engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a software development manager, becoming a software engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a software development manager has an average salary of $134,747, which is higher than the $100,260 average annual salary of a software engineer.
The top three skills for a software development manager include java, AWS and architecture. The most important skills for a software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Software Development Manager | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $134,747 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $64.78 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 265,464 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A software development manager is an individual who manages teams of software developers that design and create software applications and web services for clients. Software development managers should delegate duties and establish development standards for the development team as well as create a budget and timeline for the project. They must meet with management to discuss how software applications can achieve business objectives. Once the software has been developed, software development managers must train technical and non-technical end-users. They must also be skilled in different programming languages such as HTML, SQL, and JavaScript.
A software engineer is a computer science professional who is responsible for the development of information systems, designing and building computer systems software and applications software. They often prefer to call themselves as a software developer or computer programmer. They have substantial knowledge of programming languages, software development, and computer operating systems, and other technologies. They use these to turn a plan into a final output. They can create a design, test, and develop software based on the needs of their clients.
Software development managers and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Development Manager | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $134,747 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $100,000 And $180,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a software development manager and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Development Manager | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between software development managers' and software engineers' demographics:
| Software Development Manager | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.1% Female, 14.9% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 34.0% White, 48.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |