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The differences between senior product engineers and product leads 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 product engineer, becoming a product lead takes usually requires 8-10 years. Additionally, a product lead has an average salary of $118,828, which is higher than the $101,685 average annual salary of a senior product engineer.
The top three skills for a senior product engineer include java, product engineering and continuous improvement. The most important skills for a product lead are product management, project management, and architecture.
| Senior Product Engineer | Product Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $101,685 | $118,828 |
| Hourly rate | $48.89 | $57.13 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 145,781 | 95,557 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 10 |
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.
A product lead is responsible for monitoring the development of new products and services of an organization, starting from brand conceptualization to official market release and distribution. Product leads identify effective product management by conducting data analysis and evaluating market statistics of customer demands. They coordinate with the clients on their specifications and requirements, including the budget limit and timely deliverables. A product lead manages the brand promotion on media platforms, creating content that adheres to the target audience.
Senior product engineers and product leads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Product Engineer | Product Lead | |
| Average salary | $101,685 | $118,828 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $131,000 | Between $86,000 And $163,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Cloudflare | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a senior product engineer and a product lead in terms of educational background:
| Senior Product Engineer | Product Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between senior product engineers' and product leads' demographics:
| Senior Product Engineer | Product Lead | |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.2% Female, 10.8% | Male, 71.1% Female, 28.9% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 10% |