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The differences between senior leaders and senior programmers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a senior leader, becoming a senior programmer takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a senior leader has an average salary of $114,328, which is higher than the $105,509 average annual salary of a senior programmer.
The top three skills for a senior leader include java, project management and architecture. The most important skills for a senior programmer are macro, SAS, and database.
| Senior Leader | Senior Programmer | |
| Yearly salary | $114,328 | $105,509 |
| Hourly rate | $54.97 | $50.73 |
| Growth rate | 9% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 214,805 | 209,882 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 8 |
A senior leader specializes in overseeing the business operations and work progress within a particular department or office. Focusing on the workflow and the workforce, they are in charge of assessing performances and motivating staff to meet goals and stay within the allotted time and budget. They may also participate in the hiring and training of new employees, utilizing their talents and shaping them into valuable members of the workforce, all while implementing company rules and regulations.
A Senior Programmer develops operations solutions through guiding the development of program specifications and leading programmers. They develop, test, and implement IT solutions.
Senior leaders and senior programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Leader | Senior Programmer | |
| Average salary | $114,328 | $105,509 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $162,000 | Between $78,000 And $141,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Airbnb | Cornerstone Research |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a senior leader and a senior programmer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Leader | Senior Programmer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior leaders' and senior programmers' demographics:
| Senior Leader | Senior Programmer | |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.2% Female, 28.8% | Male, 81.0% Female, 19.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 14.6% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 19.2% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |