Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between lead engineers and senior systems software 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 systems software engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a senior systems software engineer has an average salary of $122,275, 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 systems software engineer are python, java, and software development.
| Lead Engineer | Senior Systems Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,927 | $122,275 |
| Hourly rate | $40.83 | $58.79 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 301,777 | 359,248 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| 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 systems software engineer is an individual responsible for managing a firm's computer network systems. The professional's roles include resolving complex application and network issues through the development of new solutions, overseeing systems developers and other information technology (IT) personnel, and integrating new technology. The job requires proficiency in the MySQL, Python, and Linux programming languages and excellent skills in organizational and time management and communication. The education requirements for the job include a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer science, or a related field.
Lead engineers and senior systems software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Engineer | Senior Systems Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,927 | $122,275 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $120,000 | Between $91,000 And $163,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Meta | Netflix |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a lead engineer and a senior systems software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Engineer | Senior Systems Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between lead engineers' and senior systems software engineers' demographics:
| Lead Engineer | Senior Systems Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% | Male, 85.5% Female, 14.5% |
| 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, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 8% |