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The differences between lead engineers and senior software development engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a lead engineer, becoming a senior software development engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a senior software development engineer has an average salary of $116,926, which is higher than the $84,927 average annual salary of a lead engineer.
The top three skills for a lead engineer include java, python and architecture. The most important skills for a senior software development engineer are java, software development, and python.
| Lead Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,927 | $116,926 |
| Hourly rate | $40.83 | $56.21 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 301,777 | 346,833 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
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.
A senior software development engineer specializes in leading the efforts in designing and developing software and information systems, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities typically revolve around installing and repairing existing computer systems, conducting regular maintenance checks, troubleshooting, testing new designs, and performing research and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of operations, improving them to achieve optimal performance. Furthermore, as a senior software development engineer, it is essential to monitor and encourage the team, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Lead engineers and senior software development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,927 | $116,926 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $120,000 | Between $87,000 And $156,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a lead engineer and a senior software development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between lead engineers' and senior software development engineers' demographics:
| Lead Engineer | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% | Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 30.6% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 8% |