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The differences between lead web developers and systems developers 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 web developer, becoming a systems developer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a lead web developer has an average salary of $108,800, which is higher than the $97,230 average annual salary of a systems developer.
The top three skills for a lead web developer include web application, javascript and CSS. The most important skills for a systems developer are java, python, and C++.
| Lead Web Developer | Systems Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $108,800 | $97,230 |
| Hourly rate | $52.31 | $46.75 |
| Growth rate | 13% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 250,411 | 322,419 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 37 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A lead web developer is in charge of spearheading the development of web applications and systems. In a company setting, their responsibilities include managing a team of developers, identifying and understanding project requirements, heading the planning and execution stages, setting objectives and timelines, establishing guidelines, delegating tasks, and providing technical support and guidance to staff. They must also respond to issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently. Moreover, being the lead web developer, they must encourage teams to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
A Systems Developer is responsible for designing and creating software applications and server programs to support business requirements and client specifications. System Developers run multiple diagnostic tests to the systems to ensure performance and stability and revise scripts for optimization as needed. They also evaluate and improve existing networks, develop infrastructure, and set configuration. A Systems Developer must have excellent communication and technical skills, as well as a strong command of programming languages and system codes to identify network structures and operating systems.
Lead web developers and systems developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Web Developer | Systems Developer | |
| Average salary | $108,800 | $97,230 |
| Salary range | Between $84,000 And $140,000 | Between $73,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | First Republic Bank | Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a lead web developer and a systems developer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Web Developer | Systems Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between lead web developers' and systems developers' demographics:
| Lead Web Developer | Systems Developer | |
| Average age | 37 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.3% Female, 18.7% | Male, 76.5% Female, 23.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 15.7% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 16.6% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |