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The differences between senior software engineers lead 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 engineer lead and a principal software engineer. Additionally, a principal software engineer has an average salary of $134,230, which is higher than the $129,060 average annual salary of a senior software engineer lead.
The top three skills for a senior software engineer lead include java, architecture and software development. The most important skills for a principal software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Senior Software Engineer Lead | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $129,060 | $134,230 |
| Hourly rate | $62.05 | $64.53 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 322,973 | 345,893 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A senior software engineer lead is responsible for overseeing the software creation process. They analyze projects, rectify errors, interpret project requirements, and develop detailed designs. They must create reports of all weekly tasks and ensure best practices are followed by their team.
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 engineers lead and principal software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Software Engineer Lead | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $129,060 | $134,230 |
| Salary range | Between $96,000 And $173,000 | Between $98,000 And $182,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | PitchBook Data | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Retail |
There are a few differences between a senior software engineer lead and a principal software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Software Engineer Lead | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between senior software engineers lead' and principal software engineers' demographics:
| Senior Software Engineer Lead | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.0% Female, 21.0% | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 33.4% White, 48.9% 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% |