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The differences between senior software engineer managers and senior 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 senior 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 $108,743 average annual salary of a senior engineer.
The top three skills for a senior software engineer manager include java, emerging technologies and software development. The most important skills for a senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Senior Software Engineer Manager | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $147,474 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $70.90 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 299,566 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| 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 senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Senior software engineer managers and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Software Engineer Manager | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $147,474 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $106,000 And $205,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Bruno, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Roku | |
| Best paying industry | - | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a senior software engineer manager and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Software Engineer Manager | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between senior software engineer managers' and senior engineers' demographics:
| Senior Software Engineer Manager | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.1% Female, 13.9% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| 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, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |