Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between engineers of system development and lead engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an engineer of system development, becoming a lead engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an engineer of system development has an average salary of $112,462, which is higher than the $84,927 average annual salary of a lead engineer.
The top three skills for an engineer of system development include java, web services and C++. The most important skills for a lead engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Engineer Of System Development | Lead Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $112,462 | $84,927 |
| Hourly rate | $54.07 | $40.83 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 363,626 | 301,777 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
In the information technology industry, an engineer of systems development specializes in designing and developing systems and networks according to the company's needs. Their responsibilities typically involve conducting research and analysis, developing prototypes and test structures, troubleshooting errors, studying the feedback from clients and employees, analyzing existing systems to identify areas needing improvement, and implementing solutions against problem areas. Moreover, as an engineer of systems development, it is essential to lead and manage teams to reach goals, providing technical support as needed.
A lead engineer's duties vary on their line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities will revolve around overseeing the progress of operations and performance of the workforce, ensuring that everything is running smoothly. They are also responsible for addressing issues and concerns, assessing risks, monitoring the budget, coordinating with clients and architects, and even training workers. Furthermore, as a lead engineer, it is crucial to conduct regular inspections to ensure the quality of work and maintain a safe environment for all workers.
Engineers of system development and lead engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engineer Of System Development | Lead Engineer | |
| Average salary | $112,462 | $84,927 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $152,000 | Between $60,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an engineer of system development and a lead engineer in terms of educational background:
| Engineer Of System Development | Lead Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between engineers of system development' and lead engineers' demographics:
| Engineer Of System Development | Lead Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.5% Female, 22.5% | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 29.7% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |