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The differences between principal developers and senior .net 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 senior .net developer. Additionally, a principal developer has an average salary of $126,772, which is higher than the $95,192 average annual salary of a senior .net developer.
The top three skills for a principal developer include java, apis and architecture. The most important skills for a senior .net developer are net core, sql server, and javascript.
| Principal Developer | Senior .NET Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $126,772 | $95,192 |
| Hourly rate | $60.95 | $45.77 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 13% |
| Number of jobs | 303,930 | 239,412 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 39 | 37 |
| 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 senior .NET developer is responsible for creating and managing software applications and programming languages under the .NET framework. Senior .NET developers carefully analyze software specifications and system requirements to ensure high-quality concept implementation using optimal operating procedures. A senior .NET developer runs diagnostic tests to identify its inconsistencies, perform adjustments as needed, and create reports of the system's features and methodologies. A senior .NET developer must have strong knowledge of the technology industry and software programming disciplines to assist junior developers and drive strategic results.
Principal developers and senior .net developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Developer | Senior .NET Developer | |
| Average salary | $126,772 | $95,192 |
| Salary range | Between $96,000 And $166,000 | Between $72,000 And $124,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Pleasanton, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Venable | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a principal developer and a senior .net developer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Developer | Senior .NET Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | - |
Here are the differences between principal developers' and senior .net developers' demographics:
| Principal Developer | Senior .NET Developer | |
| Average age | 39 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7% | Male, 73.9% Female, 26.1% |
| 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, 6.4% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 15.9% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 9% |