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The differences between systems programmers and applications programmers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a systems programmer and an applications programmer. Additionally, a systems programmer has an average salary of $96,017, which is higher than the $85,133 average annual salary of an applications programmer.
The top three skills for a systems programmer include provide technical assistance, video conferencing and C++. The most important skills for an applications programmer are java, C++, and database.
| Systems Programmer | Applications Programmer | |
| Yearly salary | $96,017 | $85,133 |
| Hourly rate | $46.16 | $40.93 |
| Growth rate | -7% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 257,681 | 215,240 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
A systems programmer is responsible for managing and installing software systems and applications to the company's computer networks to support the efficiency of business functions and operations. Systems programmers coordinate with the systems analyst to conduct quality checks and running configuration tests to ensure the stability of applications and avoid downtimes. They also create resolution reports, design servers, and upgrade network infrastructure as often as needed. A systems programmer must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially the expert command of programming languages and codes.
An application programmer is responsible for creating and designing computer systems and applications according to client specifications and business requirements. Application programmers run quality checks on the draft outputs to ensure its stability and efficiency for high-level performance. They also evaluate existing applications and recommend technical solutions to improve scalability. An application programmer must have excellent technical skills with a strong command of programming languages and system codes to determine the feasibility of applications and adjust features as needed.
Systems programmers and applications programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Systems Programmer | Applications Programmer | |
| Average salary | $96,017 | $85,133 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $138,000 | Between $64,000 And $112,000 |
| Highest paying City | Novato, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | Dropbox |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a systems programmer and an applications programmer in terms of educational background:
| Systems Programmer | Applications Programmer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between systems programmers' and applications programmers' demographics:
| Systems Programmer | Applications Programmer | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.0% Female, 16.0% | Male, 74.6% Female, 25.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.2% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 14.9% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% Asian, 16.4% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |