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The differences between principal developers and developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a principal developer and a developer. Additionally, a principal developer has an average salary of $126,772, which is higher than the $100,076 average annual salary of a developer.
The top three skills for a principal developer include java, apis and architecture. The most important skills for a developer are javascript, python, and java.
| Principal Developer | Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $126,772 | $100,076 |
| Hourly rate | $60.95 | $48.11 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 303,930 | 262,570 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
In the information technology industry, a principal developer is in charge of spearheading software and application development projects. It is their duty to perform extensive research and analysis, set objectives and guidelines, establish budgets and timelines, lead the planning and implementation stages, and develop strategies to optimize operations. They must also maintain an active communication line with staff to resolve issues should any arise. Moreover, as a principal developer, they must monitor the projects' workflow to ensure that everything runs smoothly and efficiently.
Developers are usually system or application developers in a company who work on specific projects related to networks or applications from conception to implementation. They attend planning sessions to ensure that the program is feasible. They are responsible for designing the system through coding and basic user interface design. They also work on troubleshooting any challenges that may be met at the testing stage of the program's development. They solve challenges and ensure that minimal problems will arise upon publishing the system or application. They also manage the evaluation to ensure that the program's goals are accomplished and that the end-users are satisfied with the results.
Principal developers and developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Developer | Developer | |
| Average salary | $126,772 | $100,076 |
| Salary range | Between $96,000 And $166,000 | Between $76,000 And $131,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a principal developer and a developer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Developer | Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between principal developers' and developers' demographics:
| Principal Developer | Developer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7% | Male, 74.9% Female, 25.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |