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The differences between system design engineers and software engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a system design engineer, becoming a software engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a system design engineer has an average salary of $107,704, which is higher than the $100,260 average annual salary of a software engineer.
The top three skills for a system design engineer include system design, architecture and MATLAB. The most important skills for a software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| System Design Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $107,704 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $51.78 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 113,582 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A system design engineer is an individual who participates in system design engineering and resolves manufacturing and service problems. System design engineers are required to collaborate with the system design team to research emerging technologies and develop new capabilities. They create design layouts by utilizing the use of CAD software such as AutoCad as well as supervise a group of CAD technicians. System design engineers must also provide customer service in the field and deliver individualized problem solving and system design support
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.
System design engineers and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| System Design Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $107,704 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $77,000 And $149,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a system design engineer and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| System Design Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between system design engineers' and software engineers' demographics:
| System Design Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 15.4% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |