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The differences between senior programmers and lead software developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a senior programmer, becoming a lead software developer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a lead software developer has an average salary of $115,072, which is higher than the $105,509 average annual salary of a senior programmer.
The top three skills for a senior programmer include macro, SAS and database. The most important skills for a lead software developer are java, architecture, and application development.
| Senior Programmer | Lead Software Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $105,509 | $115,072 |
| Hourly rate | $50.73 | $55.32 |
| Growth rate | -7% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 209,882 | 309,029 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 47 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 4 |
A Senior Programmer develops operations solutions through guiding the development of program specifications and leading programmers. They develop, test, and implement IT solutions.
A lead software developer is responsible for creating and designing software applications and systems to support business functions and client requirements. Lead software developers analyze specifications to build efficient applications, conduct multiple quality testing, and enhance the user's interface. They also coordinate with the design engineers to modify and improve the features of existing software applications for optimal performance. A lead software developer must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially in considering the current technology trends to meet demands.
Senior programmers and lead software developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Programmer | Lead Software Developer | |
| Average salary | $105,509 | $115,072 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $141,000 | Between $87,000 And $151,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Cornerstone Research | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a senior programmer and a lead software developer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Programmer | Lead Software Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between senior programmers' and lead software developers' demographics:
| Senior Programmer | Lead Software Developer | |
| Average age | 47 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.0% Female, 19.0% | Male, 86.5% Female, 13.5% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |