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The differences between software development engineers lead and lead software developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a software development engineer lead and a lead software developer. Additionally, a software development engineer lead has an average salary of $119,557, which is higher than the $115,072 average annual salary of a lead software developer.
The top three skills for a software development engineer lead include java, API and python. The most important skills for a lead software developer are java, architecture, and application development.
| Software Development Engineer Lead | Lead Software Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $119,557 | $115,072 |
| Hourly rate | $57.48 | $55.32 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 343,868 | 309,029 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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 software developer is responsible for creating and designing software applications and systems to support business functions and client requirements. Lead software developers analyze specifications to build efficient applications, conduct multiple quality testing, and enhance the user's interface. They also coordinate with the design engineers to modify and improve the features of existing software applications for optimal performance. A lead software developer must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially in considering the current technology trends to meet demands.
Software development engineers lead and lead software developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Development Engineer Lead | Lead Software Developer | |
| Average salary | $119,557 | $115,072 |
| Salary range | Between $91,000 And $155,000 | Between $87,000 And $151,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | PitchBook Data | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a software development engineer lead and a lead software developer in terms of educational background:
| Software Development Engineer Lead | Lead Software Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between software development engineers lead' and lead software developers' demographics:
| Software Development Engineer Lead | Lead Software Developer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.8% Female, 16.2% | Male, 86.5% Female, 13.5% |
| 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, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |