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The differences between principal engineers and directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a principal engineer and a director. Additionally, a principal engineer has an average salary of $130,213, which is higher than the $113,489 average annual salary of a director.
The top three skills for a principal engineer include java, architecture and python. The most important skills for a director are healthcare, customer service, and oversight.
| Principal Engineer | Director | |
| Yearly salary | $130,213 | $113,489 |
| Hourly rate | $62.60 | $54.56 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 312,683 | 230,711 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 41 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A principal engineer is responsible for monitoring the overall design phase of the construction process, including coordinating with the client for progress and updates, as well as performing adjustments as needed based on clients' specifications and requirements. Principal engineers also inspect the materials and resources used to ensure that the project stays within the budget goals and set timeframe. They should have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in preparing reports and training new staff.
Directors work in show business, whether in a film, a television show, or a theatre production. They are responsible for bringing the material to life. They work with the writers to get a clear vision of how the production should look. They lead the production team in planning for the production, identifying filming or rehearsing schedules, casting for roles, and other aspects that need to be decided upon. Directors provide direction to the actors to ensure that the actors understand their role and will be able to effectively convey emotions to the audience. They also manage all other crew members and communicate their expectations clearly so that everyone on the set is working towards one vision.
Principal engineers and directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Engineer | Director | |
| Average salary | $130,213 | $113,489 |
| Salary range | Between $95,000 And $177,000 | Between $66,000 And $192,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Mateo, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Grubhub | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Finance |
There are a few differences between a principal engineer and a director in terms of educational background:
| Principal Engineer | Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between principal engineers' and directors' demographics:
| Principal Engineer | Director | |
| Average age | 41 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% | Male, 53.2% Female, 46.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.6% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 14% |