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The differences between software engineers and senior software development 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 engineer and a senior software development engineer. Additionally, a senior software development engineer has an average salary of $116,926, which is higher than the $100,260 average annual salary of a software engineer.
The top three skills for a software engineer include java, python and software development. The most important skills for a senior software development engineer are java, software development, and python.
| Software Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $100,260 | $116,926 |
| Hourly rate | $48.20 | $56.21 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 339,938 | 346,833 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
A senior software development engineer specializes in leading the efforts in designing and developing software and information systems, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities typically revolve around installing and repairing existing computer systems, conducting regular maintenance checks, troubleshooting, testing new designs, and performing research and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of operations, improving them to achieve optimal performance. Furthermore, as a senior software development engineer, it is essential to monitor and encourage the team, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Software engineers and senior software development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $100,260 | $116,926 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $136,000 | Between $87,000 And $156,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Bruno, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a software engineer and a senior software development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between software engineers' and senior software development engineers' demographics:
| Software Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% | Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 30.6% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |