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The differences between software specialists 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 specialist and a software development engineer. Additionally, a software development engineer has an average salary of $109,147, which is higher than the $84,009 average annual salary of a software specialist.
The top three skills for a software specialist include C++, C # and database. The most important skills for a software development engineer are java, software development, and AWS.
| Software Specialist | Software Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,009 | $109,147 |
| Hourly rate | $40.39 | $52.47 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 264,307 | 356,971 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Software Specialist designs and develops computer software and operating systems, establishing policies and protocols to ensure quality and data security. They function as a member of a company or an organization's information technology department. They also utilize their expertise by assessing and reviewing existing software, identifying its strengths and weaknesses, implementing solutions against vulnerable areas. Most of the time, a software specialist directly communicates with clients to determine their software needs and preferences, regularly coordinating to ensure client satisfaction and smooth workflow.
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 specialists and software development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Specialist | Software Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,009 | $109,147 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $115,000 | Between $80,000 And $147,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | American Express | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Technology |
There are a few differences between a software specialist and a software development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Specialist | Software Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between software specialists' and software development engineers' demographics:
| Software Specialist | Software Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.2% Female, 32.8% | Male, 79.6% Female, 20.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.5% 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% |