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The differences between senior software engineer managers and lead engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a senior software engineer manager, becoming a lead engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior software engineer manager has an average salary of $147,474, which is higher than the $84,927 average annual salary of a lead engineer.
The top three skills for a senior software engineer manager include java, emerging technologies and software development. The most important skills for a lead engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Senior Software Engineer Manager | Lead Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $147,474 | $84,927 |
| Hourly rate | $70.90 | $40.83 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 299,566 | 301,777 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A Senior Software Engineer Manager oversees software development and helps manage the team to accomplish milestones on a specific project. The Senior Software Engineer Manager's task is to guide, instruct, and junior train developers and ensure efficiency and quality. The senior developer also checks every detail of the software, order adjustments in problematic areas of the program, and does troubleshooting during finalization. The Senior Developer is the primary contact person in the software development team and advises the company on the proper path to take when planning a new software.
A lead engineer's duties vary on their line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities will revolve around overseeing the progress of operations and performance of the workforce, ensuring that everything is running smoothly. They are also responsible for addressing issues and concerns, assessing risks, monitoring the budget, coordinating with clients and architects, and even training workers. Furthermore, as a lead engineer, it is crucial to conduct regular inspections to ensure the quality of work and maintain a safe environment for all workers.
Senior software engineer managers and lead engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Software Engineer Manager | Lead Engineer | |
| Average salary | $147,474 | $84,927 |
| Salary range | Between $106,000 And $205,000 | Between $60,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Bruno, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | - | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior software engineer manager and a lead engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Software Engineer Manager | Lead Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior software engineer managers' and lead engineers' demographics:
| Senior Software Engineer Manager | Lead Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.1% Female, 13.9% | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |