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The differences between systems developers and software development engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a systems developer, becoming a software development engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a software development engineer has an average salary of $109,147, which is higher than the $97,230 average annual salary of a systems developer.
The top three skills for a systems developer include java, python and C++. The most important skills for a software development engineer are java, software development, and AWS.
| Systems Developer | Software Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $97,230 | $109,147 |
| Hourly rate | $46.75 | $52.47 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 322,419 | 356,971 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A Systems Developer is responsible for designing and creating software applications and server programs to support business requirements and client specifications. System Developers run multiple diagnostic tests to the systems to ensure performance and stability and revise scripts for optimization as needed. They also evaluate and improve existing networks, develop infrastructure, and set configuration. A Systems Developer must have excellent communication and technical skills, as well as a strong command of programming languages and system codes to identify network structures and operating systems.
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.
Systems developers and software development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Systems Developer | Software Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $97,230 | $109,147 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $129,000 | Between $80,000 And $147,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Technology |
There are a few differences between a systems developer and a software development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Systems Developer | Software Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between systems developers' and software development engineers' demographics:
| Systems Developer | Software Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.5% Female, 23.5% | Male, 79.6% Female, 20.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 16.6% White, 57.3% 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% |