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The differences between principal software engineers and software engineers 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 software engineer and a software engineer lead. Additionally, a principal software engineer has an average salary of $134,230, which is higher than the $125,565 average annual salary of a software engineer lead.
The top three skills for a principal software engineer include java, python and software development. The most important skills for a software engineer lead are java, python, and software development.
| Principal Software Engineer | Software Engineer Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $134,230 | $125,565 |
| Hourly rate | $64.53 | $60.37 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 345,893 | 342,462 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Principal Software Engineer is responsible for the technical aspects of an organization's projects. They diagnose, document, and troubleshoot systems to resolve problems identified through testing, as well as implement strategies to improve integration and efficiency.
A Software Engineer Lead is focused on developing and testing software programs. They manage a team of software engineers that design enterprise software products and operating systems.
Principal software engineers and software engineers lead have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Software Engineer | Software Engineer Lead | |
| Average salary | $134,230 | $125,565 |
| Salary range | Between $98,000 And $182,000 | Between $93,000 And $168,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a principal software engineer and a software engineer lead in terms of educational background:
| Principal Software Engineer | Software Engineer Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between principal software engineers' and software engineers lead' demographics:
| Principal Software Engineer | Software Engineer Lead | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |