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The differences between lead developers and lead technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a lead developer, becoming a lead technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a lead developer has an average salary of $116,340, which is higher than the $90,615 average annual salary of a lead technician.
The top three skills for a lead developer include java, javascript and architecture. The most important skills for a lead technician are java, architecture, and digital transformation.
| Lead Developer | Lead Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $116,340 | $90,615 |
| Hourly rate | $55.93 | $43.56 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 274,208 | 250,590 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A lead developer is responsible for creating software programs and applications, following the client and the business's software quality standards and design specifications. Lead developers assist a team of developers in implementing strategic procedures, managing system codes, debugging applications, running diagnostic tests, and troubleshooting defects to ensure its smooth performance. They also respond to clients' inquiries and concerns, performing feature adjustments as needed. A lead developer must have strong knowledge of the technology industry and command on programming languages and software design processes.
Lead technicians are technicians who oversee the technical needs of a specific project or department. They are usually tenured employees, and their familiarity with the company's technical and technological processes, software, and hardware would be a great advantage in succeeding in their role. Lead technicians are responsible for installing, updating, and maintaining various software and hardware components in the office. They often manage a group of technicians, and they ensure that the group they manage is properly trained and well-versed on the processes of the company. Lead technicians are expected to have strong analytical skills and decision-making skills.
Lead developers and lead technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Developer | Lead Technician | |
| Average salary | $116,340 | $90,615 |
| Salary range | Between $83,000 And $161,000 | Between $67,000 And $121,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Mayo Clinic | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Retail |
There are a few differences between a lead developer and a lead technician in terms of educational background:
| Lead Developer | Lead Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between lead developers' and lead technicians' demographics:
| Lead Developer | Lead Technician | |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.4% Female, 23.6% | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 15.1% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |