Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between principal developers and principal software engineers 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 principal software engineer. Additionally, a principal software engineer has an average salary of $134,230, which is higher than the $126,772 average annual salary of a principal developer.
The top three skills for a principal developer include java, apis and architecture. The most important skills for a principal software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Principal Developer | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $126,772 | $134,230 |
| Hourly rate | $60.95 | $64.53 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 303,930 | 345,893 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| 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.
A Principal Software Engineer is responsible for the technical aspects of an organization's projects. They diagnose, document, and troubleshoot systems to resolve problems identified through testing, as well as implement strategies to improve integration and efficiency.
Principal developers and principal software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Developer | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $126,772 | $134,230 |
| Salary range | Between $96,000 And $166,000 | Between $98,000 And $182,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | ||
| Best paying industry | Finance | Retail |
There are a few differences between a principal developer and a principal software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Developer | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between principal developers' and principal software engineers' demographics:
| Principal Developer | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7% | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% |
| 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, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |