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The differences between principal software engineers and staff software engineers 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 staff software engineer. Additionally, a staff software engineer has an average salary of $136,653, which is higher than the $134,230 average annual salary of a principal software engineer.
The top three skills for a principal software engineer include java, python and software development. The most important skills for a staff software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Principal Software Engineer | Staff Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $134,230 | $136,653 |
| Hourly rate | $64.53 | $65.70 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 345,893 | 371,213 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| 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 Staff Software Engineer is responsible for developing, maintaining, and repairing company software for maximum efficiency and usability. They instruct and mentor their team members in software development techniques and cloud development.
Principal software engineers and staff software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Software Engineer | Staff Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $134,230 | $136,653 |
| Salary range | Between $98,000 And $182,000 | Between $100,000 And $186,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Airbnb | |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Retail |
There are a few differences between a principal software engineer and a staff software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Software Engineer | Staff Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| 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 staff software engineers' demographics:
| Principal Software Engineer | Staff Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% | Male, 83.0% Female, 17.0% |
| 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, 4.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 33.5% White, 48.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |