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The differences between software engineers and 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 software development engineer. Additionally, a software development engineer has an average salary of $109,147, 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 software development engineer are java, software development, and AWS.
| Software Engineer | Software Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $100,260 | $109,147 |
| Hourly rate | $48.20 | $52.47 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 339,938 | 356,971 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| 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 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.
Software engineers and software development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Engineer | Software Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $100,260 | $109,147 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $136,000 | Between $80,000 And $147,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Bruno, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Technology |
There are a few differences between a software engineer and a software development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Engineer | Software Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between software engineers' and software development engineers' demographics:
| Software Engineer | Software Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% | Male, 79.6% Female, 20.4% |
| 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, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 32.7% White, 49.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |