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The differences between staff software engineers and software developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a staff software engineer and a software developer. Additionally, a staff software engineer has an average salary of $136,653, which is higher than the $87,521 average annual salary of a software developer.
The top three skills for a staff software engineer include java, python and software development. The most important skills for a software developer are java, python, and C++.
| Staff Software Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $136,653 | $87,521 |
| Hourly rate | $65.70 | $42.08 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 371,213 | 294,329 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Staff Software Engineer is responsible for developing, maintaining, and repairing company software for maximum efficiency and usability. They instruct and mentor their team members in software development techniques and cloud development.
A software developer is responsible for designing application systems to support the user and business' needs. Duties of a software developer include testing software codes, performing diagnostic programs and troubleshooting, interpreting system data and establishing efficient parameters, and ensuring the compatibility of the systems. A software developer must have an excellent knowledge of computer programs and programming languages to understand its complexities, especially on detecting system defects and malfunctions. A software developer must have strong attention to detail, communication, and decision-making skills to coordinate with the team and also work independently under minimal supervision.
Staff software engineers and software developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Software Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Average salary | $136,653 | $87,521 |
| Salary range | Between $100,000 And $186,000 | Between $67,000 And $113,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Airbnb | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Finance |
There are a few differences between a staff software engineer and a software developer in terms of educational background:
| Staff Software Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between staff software engineers' and software developers' demographics:
| Staff Software Engineer | Software Developer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.0% Female, 17.0% | Male, 79.3% Female, 20.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 33.5% White, 48.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |