Building software requires establishing step-by-step logical and meaningful programs, procedures, and associated documents to be read by a computers’ hardware, which is integral to the successful development of everything from operating systems to applications. Both computer programmers and software engineers are necessary to the development of such software. While both professions make valuable contributions to the software development field, their job requirements and salaries are distinct from each other.
Software Engineer:
Software engineers (SEs), also called software developers, work closely with clients to plan and create software systems. SEs analyze user needs, company requirements, and budget, and they design, develop, and implement a software solution based on those demands. They then give the instructions to computer programmers, who write the software codes. After testing the quality of the program, software engineers are concerned with maintaining the software systems to ensure reliability and efficiency.
The software engineering field is divided into different areas of concentration. Engineers who specialize in designing computer operating systems are called system software developers. Those who focus on applications, word processors, and databases are part of the applications software development sector. Though most software engineers usually do not write code, they need a strong background in programming skills to communicate properly with programmers.
The software engineering profession requires candidates to have (at a minimum) a bachelor’s degree in software engineering, computer science, or a related field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , as of May 2015, software developers and application engineers earn a mean salary of $102,160 per year. Computer systems design firms employ the highest number of SEs, while “other information services” — including business and financial, legal, and healthcare practitioners — provide top pay for services.
Computer Programmer:
Computer programmers receive specifications from software engineers and turn the program design into written instruction codes that the computers will follow. Programmers must be experts in computer languages such as C++ and Java and be able to upgrade, expand, and debug existing program code to find and fix errors. Computer programmers use code libraries to simplify writing and are increasingly working with software engineers in a number of their duties, such as identification of user needs and program design.
As a multifaceted job that entails creating, adapting, modifying, troubleshooting, and helping to maintain programs, most programmers choose to specialize in just a few programming languages. Depending on the type of work, programmers may also need to seek certification from national organizations or vendors.
A typical computer programmer has a bachelor’s degree in a computer science, mathematics, or information systems-related field, but an associate’s degree plus applicable experience will suffice for some entry-level positions. Median annual salary for computer programmers as of 2015 was $79,530. Computer systems design services employ the highest number of computer programmers, while the highest salaries were earned in animal slaughtering and processing businesses, averaging $110,660 per year.
Software engineers and computer programmers work closely with one another in the complex job of computer software development and, in some instances, their duties even overlap in the growing computer development ecosystem.
Sources: Chron , OEL , Computing Careers , Study
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