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The differences between technical consultants and software 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 technical consultant, becoming a software engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a software engineer has an average salary of $100,260, which is higher than the $89,290 average annual salary of a technical consultant.
The top three skills for a technical consultant include java, database and customer service. The most important skills for a software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Technical Consultant | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $89,290 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $42.93 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 173,374 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A technical consultant is an individual who provides technical support and performs troubleshooting functions for the company's product or application. A consultant should be highly knowledgeable about the product or application so that he/she can assist users and clients with whatever issues they may be facing. A bachelor's degree is required to work as a technical consultant, particularly a degree in Computer Science or Engineering. Also, a consultant should conduct training sessions and therefore, must possess excellent communication skills.
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.
Technical consultants and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Consultant | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $89,290 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $118,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a technical consultant and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Technical Consultant | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between technical consultants' and software engineers' demographics:
| Technical Consultant | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 15.3% White, 58.1% 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 | 8% | 8% |