Roles like “Data Scientist” and “Data Engineer” are growing popular each day. Whereas the role of a Software Engineer has been there for a long time. In addition, many people who want to pursue a profession in the field of Computer Science or related may not be aware of “Software Engineer vs Data Scientist” roles. This is because a Data Scientist is a fairly new career option. Show
Data Scientists and Software Engineers play two of the most common roles in the industry. While these two segments are in the technology industry, they are certainly two quite different routes. The need among the workforce is increasing both for Software and Data Engineers. This article provides you with a comprehensive overview of the critical differences between a Software Engineer and a Data Scientist. It also provides you with a brief overview of the job roles. So if you’re looking to enter either field, closely assess these differences to better understand where you’d best fit. Read along to find out how you can choose the right role for yourself. Table of Contents
What is a Software Engineer?A Software Engineer has extensive knowledge of programming languages and is expected to have sound knowledge of Software Development, Computer Programming, Operating Systems, and good Analytical skills. Software engineering knowledge is considered a base for any computer-related stream/jobs/opportunities. Software Engineers are expected to build software, solve software issues, and provide Infrastructure, Maintenance, and Testing. There are a variety of software domains that a Software Engineer can develop, such as Operating Systems, Business Software, Games, Control Systems, Payment Gateway, etc. What is a Data Scientist?
However, a Data Scientist is more focused on defining a Problem Statement, Querying Data, performing Exploratory Data Analysis, developing Models, and Interpreting Results. Data Scientist works on structured and unstructured Big Data and combines data with Mathematics and Science to derive conclusions from the data. Their usual job is to get the data from a Data Engineer, identify the features and labels, model them by algorithm, test, train, and then interpret or forecast the results. Hevo Data, a No-code Data Pipeline helps to load data from any data source such as Databases, SaaS applications, Cloud Storage, SDK,s, and Streaming Services and simplifies the ETL process. It supports Looker and Sisense, along with 100+ data sources (including 30+ free data sources), and is a 3-step process by just selecting the data source, providing valid credentials, and choosing the destination. Hevo not only loads the data onto the desired Data Warehouse/destination but also enriches the data and transforms it into an analysis-ready form without having to write a single line of code. Its completely automated pipeline offers data to be delivered in real-time without any loss from source to destination. Its fault-tolerant and scalable architecture ensure that the data is handled in a secure, consistent manner with zero data loss and supports different forms of data. The solutions provided are consistent and work with different BI tools as well. Check out why Hevo is the Best:
Simplify your Data Analysis with Hevo today! Sign up here for a 14-day free trial! Factors that Drive the Software Engineer vs Data Scientist DecisionNow that you have a basic idea of both roles, let us attempt to answer the Software Engineer vs Data Scientist question. There is no one-size-fits-all answer here and the decision has to be taken based on the roles, skills, tools, and other parameters listed below. The following are the key factors that drive the Software Engineer vs Data Scientist comparison:
1) Software Engineer vs Data Scientist: Roles & ResponsibilityFollowing are the role & responsibilities of a Software Engineer:
Following are the roles & responsibilities of a Data Scientist:
2) Software Engineer vs Data Scientist: SkillsA Software Engineer must have the following skills:
A Data Scientist must have the following skills:
3) Software Engineer vs Data Scientist: ToolsSome of the popular tools that a Software Engineer commonly uses:
Some of the popular tools that a Data Scientist use are:
4) Software Engineer vs Data Scientist: Programming LanguagesThe most frequent programming language used by a Software Engineer are:
The most common programming languages a Data Scientist use are:
5) Software Engineer vs Data Scientist: Educational BackgroundThe Educational Background required for Software Engineers are:
The Educational Background for Data Scientist is:
6) Software Engineer vs Data Scientist: Salary and Job OpeningsThe salary for Software Engineers and Data Scientists varies across locations. However, on average – An entry-level Data Scientist can earn over $120,089 per year, whereas a Software Engineer can earn somewhere around $103,951 a year in the United States. For Job Openings, you can refer – to Naukri, Indeed, or JobServe depending upon your location. 7) Software Engineer vs Data Scientist: Career MapEvery organization has a different hierarchy structure for its professionals. Therefore one cannot mention the typical career map for and domain. Typical career growth for a Software Engineer goes like this:
Typical career growth for a Data Scientist goes like this:
ConclusionIn this blog post, we have discussed in detail the Software Engineer and a Data Scientist in terms of the difference in both streams to various factors. In case you want to integrate data from data sources like Databases, SaaS Applications, Cloud Storage, SDKs, and Streaming Services into your desired data destination, Hevo Data is the right choice for you! It will help simplify the ETL and management process of both the data sources and the data destinations. Want to take Hevo for a spin? Sign up here for a 14-day free trial and experience the feature-rich Hevo suite firsthand. Share your experience of understanding Software Engineer vs Data Scientist in the comments section below! Which is better software engineer or data scientist?Both Data Science and Software Engineering requires you to have programming skills. While Data Science includes statistics and Machine Learning, Software Engineering focuses more on coding languages. Both career choices are in demand and highly rewarding. Ultimately, it depends on your choice of interest.
Can a data scientist be a software engineer?Every Data Scientist is a Software Engineer but Every Software Engineer is not a Data Scientist. However, a Data Scientist is more focused on defining a Problem Statement, Querying Data, performing Exploratory Data Analysis, developing Models, and Interpreting Results.
Is Data Science and software engineering same?Data science is related to gathering and processing data, whereas software engineering focuses on the development of applications and features for users. A career in either data science or software engineering requires you to have programming skills.
Are data scientists paid less than software engineers?A highly experienced software engineer earns $178,000 on average, while a data scientist with comparable experience and skills earns $155,000.
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