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The differences between lead technicians and principal engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a lead technician, becoming a principal engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a principal engineer has an average salary of $130,213, which is higher than the $90,615 average annual salary of a lead technician.
The top three skills for a lead technician include java, architecture and digital transformation. The most important skills for a principal engineer are java, architecture, and python.
| Lead Technician | Principal Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $90,615 | $130,213 |
| Hourly rate | $43.56 | $62.60 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 250,590 | 312,683 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
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.
A principal engineer is responsible for monitoring the overall design phase of the construction process, including coordinating with the client for progress and updates, as well as performing adjustments as needed based on clients' specifications and requirements. Principal engineers also inspect the materials and resources used to ensure that the project stays within the budget goals and set timeframe. They should have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in preparing reports and training new staff.
Lead technicians and principal engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Technician | Principal Engineer | |
| Average salary | $90,615 | $130,213 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $121,000 | Between $95,000 And $177,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Grubhub |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a lead technician and a principal engineer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Technician | Principal Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between lead technicians' and principal engineers' demographics:
| Lead Technician | Principal Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.6% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 5% |