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The differences between application leads and applications developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an application lead, becoming an applications developer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an application lead has an average salary of $112,992, which is higher than the $89,205 average annual salary of an applications developer.
The top three skills for an application lead include java, architecture and emerging technologies. The most important skills for an applications developer are java, javascript, and C++.
| Application Lead | Applications Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $112,992 | $89,205 |
| Hourly rate | $54.32 | $42.89 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 163,233 | 279,877 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A lead applications developer is in charge of directing the development department in applications design, creation, coding, debugging, and testing. Lead applications developers serve as mentors for lower-level or new software programmers or developers. They supervise the development team members in pair programming, code reviews, and good development principle promotions. Their duties include the coordination of the schedule of development staff. Also, they ensure effective communication between the team members and the other IT functions.
An application developer is responsible for creating program applications for devices based on clients' specifications and business needs. Application developers must have excellent knowledge of computer systems, as well as a strong command of programming languages to develop customized programs. Duties of an application developer also include running diagnostic tests to ensure the application's performance and stability, providing instruction manuals for reference, performing troubleshooting for any inconsistencies, upgrading design codes for optimization, and launching the application following the client's timetable.
Application leads and applications developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Application Lead | Applications Developer | |
| Average salary | $112,992 | $89,205 |
| Salary range | Between $86,000 And $147,000 | Between $67,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between an application lead and an applications developer in terms of educational background:
| Application Lead | Applications Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between application leads' and applications developers' demographics:
| Application Lead | Applications Developer | |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.7% Female, 26.3% | Male, 77.0% Female, 23.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 22.6% White, 52.1% 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% |