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The differences between principal engineers and requirements managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a principal engineer, becoming a requirements manager takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a principal engineer has an average salary of $130,213, which is higher than the $87,310 average annual salary of a requirements manager.
The top three skills for a principal engineer include java, architecture and python. The most important skills for a requirements manager are java, client facing, and emerging technologies.
| Principal Engineer | Requirements Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $130,213 | $87,310 |
| Hourly rate | $62.60 | $41.98 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 312,683 | 64,837 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 41 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 8 |
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.
A Requirements Manager develops and oversees procedures to ensure that projects meet their needs. They focus on identifying project requirements through extensive research and analysis, conceptualizing plans to attain them. There are also instances when they must spearhead product and requirement reviews, identifying their strengths and weaknesses to develop solutions against potential problem areas. Most Requirements Managers manage development teams, leading and encouraging them to reach goals while implementing company standards and regulations for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Principal engineers and requirements managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Engineer | Requirements Manager | |
| Average salary | $130,213 | $87,310 |
| Salary range | Between $95,000 And $177,000 | Between $56,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Mateo, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | Grubhub | - |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | - |
There are a few differences between a principal engineer and a requirements manager in terms of educational background:
| Principal Engineer | Requirements Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between principal engineers' and requirements managers' demographics:
| Principal Engineer | Requirements Manager | |
| Average age | 41 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% | Male, 66.8% Female, 33.2% |
| 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, 6.8% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 12.6% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 11% |