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The differences between senior stack engineers and principal software 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 principal software engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a principal software engineer has an average salary of $134,230, which is higher than the $122,731 average annual salary of a senior stack engineer.
The top three skills for a senior stack engineer include java, javascript and python. The most important skills for a principal software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Senior Stack Engineer | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $122,731 | $134,230 |
| Hourly rate | $59.01 | $64.53 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 97,166 | 345,893 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
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 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 stack engineers and principal software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Stack Engineer | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $122,731 | $134,230 |
| Salary range | Between $91,000 And $164,000 | Between $98,000 And $182,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Internet | Retail |
There are a few differences between a senior stack engineer and a principal software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Stack Engineer | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | 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 stack engineers' and principal software engineers' demographics:
| Senior Stack Engineer | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1% | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% |
| 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, 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 | 5% | 8% |