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The differences between principal engineers and senior product engineers 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 senior product engineer. Additionally, a principal engineer has an average salary of $130,213, which is higher than the $101,685 average annual salary of a senior product engineer.
The top three skills for a principal engineer include java, architecture and python. The most important skills for a senior product engineer are java, product engineering, and continuous improvement.
| Principal Engineer | Senior Product Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $130,213 | $101,685 |
| Hourly rate | $62.60 | $48.89 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 312,683 | 145,781 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| 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.
A senior product engineer specializes in optimizing product designs and manufacturing procedures, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. They are typically in charge of performing market research and analysis, utilizing the results as a basis in designing new products and upgrading existing designs. Moreover, they coordinate with product development teams to cultivate ideas, develop prototypes and test structures, and oversee the material selection that will make the products possible. As a senior product engineer, it is essential to monitor the entire progress and lead the workforce to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Principal engineers and senior product engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Engineer | Senior Product Engineer | |
| Average salary | $130,213 | $101,685 |
| Salary range | Between $95,000 And $177,000 | Between $78,000 And $131,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Mateo, CA | Mountain View, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Grubhub | Cloudflare |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Technology |
There are a few differences between a principal engineer and a senior product engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Engineer | Senior Product Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between principal engineers' and senior product engineers' demographics:
| Principal Engineer | Senior Product Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% | Male, 89.2% Female, 10.8% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.2% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |