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The differences between principal developers and web 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 web developer. Additionally, a principal developer has an average salary of $126,772, which is higher than the $78,975 average annual salary of a web developer.
The top three skills for a principal developer include java, apis and architecture. The most important skills for a web developer are javascript, html css, and HTML.
| Principal Developer | Web Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $126,772 | $78,975 |
| Hourly rate | $60.95 | $37.97 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 13% |
| Number of jobs | 303,930 | 227,881 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| 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 web developer is responsible for designing and maintaining a website to attract customers and direct web traffic. Web developers' duty also includes analyzing software and database to develop new applications. A web developer must have extensive knowledge of programming languages and technology solutions to provide the best web design services for the clients, following their specifications, and submitting projects on or before the deadline. Web developers should have excellent time-management and decision-making skills to do tasks efficiently and accurately.
Principal developers and web developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Developer | Web Developer | |
| Average salary | $126,772 | $78,975 |
| Salary range | Between $96,000 And $166,000 | Between $60,000 And $103,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Bothell, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | ||
| Best paying industry | Finance | Professional |
There are a few differences between a principal developer and a web developer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Developer | Web 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 web developers' demographics:
| Principal Developer | Web Developer | |
| Average age | 39 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7% | Male, 78.2% Female, 21.8% |
| 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, 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% |