Compare careers
Factual side-by-side attributes from the imported O*NET and BLS OEWS datasets. No career is ranked or recommended.
Career A (or your current career)
Software Developers
Career B (or your target career)
Penetration Testers
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Comparison table
| Metric | Software Developers | Penetration Testers |
|---|---|---|
| National median salary | $135,980 | $116,580 |
| Local median salary | Not published | Not published |
| National employment | 1,687,890 | 435,370 |
| Typical education | Bachelor's Degree | Not recorded |
| Job zone | 4 | 4 |
| Important skills | Programming, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Systems Analysis, Reading Comprehension | Critical Thinking, Writing, Reading Comprehension, Programming, Active Listening |
| Related careers | Information Technology Project Managers, Penetration Testers, Electronics Engineers, Except Computer, Data Scientists | Computer and Information Systems Managers, Quality Control Analysts, Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors, Database Architects |
Career transition: skill overlap
Skill overlap
93%
13 of 14 target skills
Target-only skills
1
Current-only skills
3
Skill overlap compares O*NET skills rated at importance 3.0 or above for each occupation. It is a measure of listed skill overlap, not a probability of getting the job.
Shared skills
- Critical Thinking+0.3 level
- Reading Comprehension+0.3 level
- Writing+0.5 level
- Complex Problem Solving+0.4 level
- Programming—
- Active Listening+0.1 level
- Systems Evaluation—
- Active Learning+0.5 level
- Judgment and Decision Making+0.4 level
- Monitoring+0.4 level
- Systems Analysis—
- Speaking+0.3 level
- Time Management—
Only in Penetration Testers
- Quality Control Analysis
Only in Software Developers
- Technology Design
- Operations Analysis
- Coordination