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The differences between software development engineers lead 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 software development engineer lead, becoming a lead engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a software development engineer lead has an average salary of $119,557, which is higher than the $84,927 average annual salary of a lead engineer.
The top three skills for a software development engineer lead include java, API and python. The most important skills for a lead engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Software Development Engineer Lead | Lead Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $119,557 | $84,927 |
| Hourly rate | $57.48 | $40.83 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 343,868 | 301,777 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
Lead software development engineers take responsibility for providing technical mentorship and guidance to a team consisting of software engineers. The engineers implement codes with high quality in a test-driven and agile environment. They develop software development plans and assign related tasks to their team members. It is their job to lead different aspects regarding application development such as requirements application, and database design, implementation, and gathering. Also, they develop access/usage and sales analytic reports.
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.
Software development engineers lead and lead engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Development Engineer Lead | Lead Engineer | |
| Average salary | $119,557 | $84,927 |
| Salary range | Between $91,000 And $155,000 | Between $60,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | PitchBook Data | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a software development engineer lead and a lead engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Development Engineer Lead | Lead Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | 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 software development engineers lead' and lead engineers' demographics:
| Software Development Engineer Lead | Lead Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.8% Female, 16.2% | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.7% 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% |