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The differences between senior stack engineers and lead engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a senior stack engineer, becoming a lead engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior stack engineer has an average salary of $122,731, which is higher than the $84,927 average annual salary of a lead engineer.
The top three skills for a senior stack engineer include java, javascript and python. The most important skills for a lead engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Senior Stack Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $122,731 | $84,927 |
| Hourly rate | $59.01 | $40.83 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 97,166 | 301,777 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
A senior stack engineer is responsible for creating and designing servers and managing user interface on web applications. Senior stack engineers develop interactive functionalities and features for the database to support the business operation processes. They also modify existing web systems, upgrade network infrastructure, and set up configurations. A senior stack engineer must have excellent technical and computer skills to ensure smooth navigation for servers, as well as a strong command of programming languages to write and test codes.
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 stack engineers and lead engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Stack Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Average salary | $122,731 | $84,927 |
| Salary range | Between $91,000 And $164,000 | Between $60,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Internet | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior stack engineer and a lead engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Stack Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior stack engineers' and lead engineers' demographics:
| Senior Stack Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1% | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 16.9% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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 | 5% | 5% |