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The differences between software support managers and senior software engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a software support manager, becoming a senior software engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a senior software engineer has an average salary of $114,494, which is higher than the $104,045 average annual salary of a software support manager.
The top three skills for a software support manager include software support, software development and technical support. The most important skills for a senior software engineer are java, python, and javascript.
| Software Support Manager | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $104,045 | $114,494 |
| Hourly rate | $50.02 | $55.05 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 113,869 | 338,989 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 47 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 4 |
A software support manager updates software, oversees a team, and ensures risk assessment activities are completed. They also create progress reports and manage documentation for their team. Ultimately, they manage, install, restore and debug software.
Senior software engineers are experienced employees who would usually take the lead in projects related to software development. They are in charge of determining the needs of the organization, checking whether there are feasible solutions to challenges, and creating plans for the development of a software solution. They provide a sound analysis of data collected during the testing phase of the software and address any problems during the software development phase. Once the software has been developed, they then ensure that it works well and that it addresses the needs and expectations of the users.
Software support managers and senior software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Support Manager | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $104,045 | $114,494 |
| Salary range | Between $76,000 And $141,000 | Between $86,000 And $151,000 |
| Highest paying City | Foster City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Retail |
There are a few differences between a software support manager and a senior software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Support Manager | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between software support managers' and senior software engineers' demographics:
| Software Support Manager | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 47 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.0% Female, 29.0% | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 12.6% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 31.8% White, 50.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |