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What is a senior application development manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

The quality and efficiency of the applications on your computer and phone don't come easily packaged in your typical plug-and-play code. In order to make these commonly used apps up to par for consumers, senior application development managers are there to oversee and regulate the entire process.

While there are often many teams headed by managers within the development department, a senior application development manager is at the top level. This position communicates with research teams, internal and external partners, and upper management to create, implement, and continuously perfect the development process. Because they also have experience in app creation and strategy, their responsibilities include being an advisor and mentor to team members.

While most companies will expect a senior application development manager to have a bachelor's degree in computer science or a similar field, their main concern will be in your experience. On average, an employer will be looking for more than five years of experience in the industry and several years in a senior-level position. Being a full-time position, you may also be expected to work overtime; but the good news is, this position makes about $143,000 per year, on average.

ScoreSenior Application Development ManagerUS Average
Salary
8.6

Avg. Salary $136,960

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.1

Growth rate 7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.53%

Asian 5.46%

Black or African American 10.29%

Hispanic or Latino 13.51%

Unknown 5.81%

White 64.40%

Gender

female 18.52%

male 81.48%

Age - 44
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44
Stress level
6.1

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.2

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Senior application development manager career paths

Key steps to become a senior application development manager

  1. Explore senior application development manager education requirements

    Most common senior application development manager degrees

    Bachelor's

    70.6 %

    Master's

    20.6 %

    Associate

    6.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific senior application development manager skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Java13.52%
    API12.33%
    Application Development12.12%
    Prototyping5.16%
    Software Development4.72%
  3. Complete relevant senior application development manager training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior application development managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a senior application development manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior application development manager resumes.
  4. Research senior application development manager duties and responsibilities

    • Lead team of business analysts, application programmers, and QA testers in developing business applications.
    • Manage the completion of full system implementations, system upgrades, regulatory upgrades, audits, organizational redesign & infrastructure improvements.
    • Provide hands-on development expertise using Java, Perl and SQL.
    • Design administration consoles using WinForms and WPF following MVC and MVVM architectures.
  5. Get senior application development manager experience

    Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become a senior application development manager. The most common roles before becoming a senior application development manager include manager applications development, programmer analyst team lead and senior software engineer.
  6. Apply for senior application development manager jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a senior application development manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first senior application development manager job

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Average senior application development manager salary

The average senior application development manager salary in the United States is $136,960 per year or $66 per hour. Senior application development manager salaries range between $105,000 and $178,000 per year.

Average senior application development manager salary
$136,960 Yearly
$65.85 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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