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Staff programmer vs senior systems software engineer

The differences between staff programmers and senior systems 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 staff programmer, becoming a senior systems software engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a senior systems software engineer has an average salary of $122,275, which is higher than the $112,979 average annual salary of a staff programmer.

The top three skills for a staff programmer include database, COBOL and DB2. The most important skills for a senior systems software engineer are python, java, and software development.

Staff programmer vs senior systems software engineer overview

Staff ProgrammerSenior Systems Software Engineer
Yearly salary$112,979$122,275
Hourly rate$54.32$58.79
Growth rate-7%21%
Number of jobs77,790359,248
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 68%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age4739
Years of experience84

Staff programmer vs senior systems software engineer salary

Staff programmers and senior systems software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Staff ProgrammerSenior Systems Software Engineer
Average salary$112,979$122,275
Salary rangeBetween $85,000 And $149,000Between $91,000 And $163,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateWashingtonOregon
Best paying companyThe Walt Disney CompanyNetflix
Best paying industryTelecommunicationTechnology

Differences between staff programmer and senior systems software engineer education

There are a few differences between a staff programmer and a senior systems software engineer in terms of educational background:

Staff ProgrammerSenior Systems Software Engineer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 68%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common majorComputer ScienceComputer Science
Most common collegeStanford UniversityCalifornia State University - Long Beach

Staff programmer vs senior systems software engineer demographics

Here are the differences between staff programmers' and senior systems software engineers' demographics:

Staff ProgrammerSenior Systems Software Engineer
Average age4739
Gender ratioMale, 76.3% Female, 23.7%Male, 85.5% Female, 14.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 16.4% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage11%8%

Differences between staff programmer and senior systems software engineer duties and responsibilities

Staff programmer example responsibilities.

  • Achieve improved efficiency and cost reduction goals through efforts and expertise provide in multiple LPAR eliminations and data center consolidations.
  • Provide technical support to team members on CICS, DB2, and design relate issues.
  • Develop UNIX shell script which calls the application.
  • Develop subsequent functionality using HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and AJAX.
  • Fast-Pace environment of office and production users of PC software and hardware.
  • Develop and support batch SAS reports, in support of ECAT routing system.
  • Show more

Senior systems software engineer example responsibilities.

  • Reduce company costs by developing Unix shell and Perl scripts to integrate and automate various applications and systems management solutions.
  • Maintain mature java-base web application design to automate highly detail engineering requests for the DoD.
  • Analyze front end application, report potential design error and bugs, create issue in JIRA.
  • Implement python scripts that extract silicon data and compare it with data construct by the timing group.
  • Analyze the use of XML processes across multiple networks for validation of data and integration into platform data warehouse.
  • Define requirements for software API's allowing integration of 3rd party and COTS/GOTS software in the overarching application framework.
  • Show more

Staff programmer vs senior systems software engineer skills

Common staff programmer skills
  • Database, 9%
  • COBOL, 6%
  • DB2, 4%
  • PL/SQL, 4%
  • Mainframe, 4%
  • HTML, 3%
Common senior systems software engineer skills
  • Python, 11%
  • Java, 10%
  • Software Development, 7%
  • Architecture, 7%
  • Linux, 5%
  • C, 4%

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