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The differences between senior software application engineers and principal 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 senior software application engineer and a principal software engineer. Additionally, a principal software engineer has an average salary of $134,230, which is higher than the $117,345 average annual salary of a senior software application engineer.
The top three skills for a senior software application engineer include java, python and architecture. The most important skills for a principal software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Senior Software Application Engineer | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $117,345 | $134,230 |
| Hourly rate | $56.42 | $64.53 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 323,172 | 345,893 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Senior software application engineers usually take the lead in software development-related projects. Proficiency in the Phyton, Java, and JavaScript programming languages is an advantage to succeed in the workplace. The engineers' duties and responsibilities include identifying the needs of the organization, planning for the development of a software solution, and analyzing the data collected during the software testing phase. The core skills that these engineers should possess include creativity and strong analytical and communication skills.
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.
Senior software application engineers and principal software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Software Application Engineer | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $117,345 | $134,230 |
| Salary range | Between $89,000 And $153,000 | Between $98,000 And $182,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | ||
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between a senior software application engineer and a principal software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Software Application Engineer | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between senior software application engineers' and principal software engineers' demographics:
| Senior Software Application Engineer | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |