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The differences between principal developers and software engineers-team lead 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 software engineer-team lead. Additionally, a principal developer has an average salary of $126,772, which is higher than the $124,741 average annual salary of a software engineer-team lead.
The top three skills for a principal developer include java, apis and architecture. The most important skills for a software engineer-team lead are java, architecture, and software development.
| Principal Developer | Software Engineer-Team Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $126,772 | $124,741 |
| Hourly rate | $60.95 | $59.97 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 303,930 | 334,028 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| 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.
A software engineer team lead manages a team through the entire process of software development. They analyze the project, identify errors, and conduct troubleshooting. They also ensure that all deadlines are met and that work is conducted efficiently. They must create weekly reports.
Principal developers and software engineers-team lead have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Developer | Software Engineer-Team Lead | |
| Average salary | $126,772 | $124,741 |
| Salary range | Between $96,000 And $166,000 | Between $93,000 And $166,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Roku | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a principal developer and a software engineer-team lead in terms of educational background:
| Principal Developer | Software Engineer-Team Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between principal developers' and software engineers-team lead' demographics:
| Principal Developer | Software Engineer-Team Lead | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7% | Male, 81.2% Female, 18.8% |
| 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, 30.0% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |