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The differences between usability engineers and senior systems software engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a usability engineer and a senior systems software engineer. Additionally, a senior systems software engineer has an average salary of $122,275, which is higher than the $98,689 average annual salary of a usability engineer.
The top three skills for a usability engineer include user experience, UI and user research. The most important skills for a senior systems software engineer are python, java, and software development.
| Usability Engineer | Senior Systems Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $98,689 | $122,275 |
| Hourly rate | $47.45 | $58.79 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 242,166 | 359,248 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A usability engineer conducts studies to ensure a user can easily access all features of a product. They design questionnaires, interview-based studies, and tests. They also design and prototype user interfaces in HTML. They usually have a narrow area of specialization.
A senior systems software engineer is an individual responsible for managing a firm's computer network systems. The professional's roles include resolving complex application and network issues through the development of new solutions, overseeing systems developers and other information technology (IT) personnel, and integrating new technology. The job requires proficiency in the MySQL, Python, and Linux programming languages and excellent skills in organizational and time management and communication. The education requirements for the job include a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer science, or a related field.
Usability engineers and senior systems software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Usability Engineer | Senior Systems Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $98,689 | $122,275 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $145,000 | Between $91,000 And $163,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Varian Medical Systems | Netflix |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between a usability engineer and a senior systems software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Usability Engineer | Senior Systems Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Maryland - College Park | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between usability engineers' and senior systems software engineers' demographics:
| Usability Engineer | Senior Systems Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 54.3% Female, 45.7% | Male, 85.5% Female, 14.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 29.1% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |