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The differences between systems lead programmers and programmers 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 lead programmer, becoming a programmer takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a systems lead programmer has an average salary of $113,321, which is higher than the $73,007 average annual salary of a programmer.
The top three skills for a systems lead programmer include mainframe, MQ and disaster recovery. The most important skills for a programmer are java, javascript, and CSS.
| Systems Lead Programmer | Programmer | |
| Yearly salary | $113,321 | $73,007 |
| Hourly rate | $54.48 | $35.10 |
| Growth rate | 9% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 68,221 | 234,565 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 8 |
Systems lead programmers and programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Systems Lead Programmer | Programmer | |
| Average salary | $113,321 | $73,007 |
| Salary range | Between $83,000 And $154,000 | Between $54,000 And $98,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Bothell, WA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a systems lead programmer and a programmer in terms of educational background:
| Systems Lead Programmer | Programmer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between systems lead programmers' and programmers' demographics:
| Systems Lead Programmer | Programmer | |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.0% Female, 14.0% | Male, 74.4% Female, 25.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 14.6% White, 59.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 17.8% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |