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The differences between advanced software engineers and principal 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 an advanced software engineer and a principal software engineer. Additionally, a principal software engineer has an average salary of $134,230, which is higher than the $101,121 average annual salary of an advanced software engineer.
The top three skills for an advanced software engineer include java, python and linux. The most important skills for a principal software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Advanced Software Engineer | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $101,121 | $134,230 |
| Hourly rate | $48.62 | $64.53 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 263,252 | 345,893 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An advanced software engineer plans, designs, and develops software according to customers' requirements. They work with a company's IT branch. A software engineer's responsibility is to ensure that an application, software, or program is free from bugs, has a user-friendly user interface, and performs what it is programmed to do. They are also responsible for updates and troubleshooting after software is released.
A Principal Software Engineer is responsible for the technical aspects of an organization's projects. They diagnose, document, and troubleshoot systems to resolve problems identified through testing, as well as implement strategies to improve integration and efficiency.
Advanced software engineers and principal software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Advanced Software Engineer | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $101,121 | $134,230 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $126,000 | Between $98,000 And $182,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between an advanced software engineer and a principal software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Advanced Software Engineer | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between advanced software engineers' and principal software engineers' demographics:
| Advanced Software Engineer | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.7% Female, 23.3% | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 31.4% White, 50.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |