Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between web developers and systems developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a web developer, becoming a systems developer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a systems developer has an average salary of $97,230, which is higher than the $78,975 average annual salary of a web developer.
The top three skills for a web developer include javascript, html css and HTML. The most important skills for a systems developer are java, python, and C++.
| Web Developer | Systems Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $78,975 | $97,230 |
| Hourly rate | $37.97 | $46.75 |
| Growth rate | 13% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 227,881 | 322,419 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 37 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A web developer is responsible for designing and maintaining a website to attract customers and direct web traffic. Web developers' duty also includes analyzing software and database to develop new applications. A web developer must have extensive knowledge of programming languages and technology solutions to provide the best web design services for the clients, following their specifications, and submitting projects on or before the deadline. Web developers should have excellent time-management and decision-making skills to do tasks efficiently and accurately.
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.
Web developers and systems developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Web Developer | Systems Developer | |
| Average salary | $78,975 | $97,230 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $103,000 | Between $73,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bothell, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld | |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a web developer and a systems developer in terms of educational background:
| Web Developer | Systems Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between web developers' and systems developers' demographics:
| Web Developer | Systems Developer | |
| Average age | 37 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.2% Female, 21.8% | Male, 76.5% Female, 23.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 15.9% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |