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The differences between software development engineers lead and senior software engineers 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 senior software engineer. Additionally, a software development engineer lead has an average salary of $119,557, which is higher than the $114,494 average annual salary of a senior software engineer.
The top three skills for a software development engineer lead include java, API and python. The most important skills for a senior software engineer are java, python, and javascript.
| Software Development Engineer Lead | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $119,557 | $114,494 |
| Hourly rate | $57.48 | $55.05 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 343,868 | 338,989 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| 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.
Senior software engineers are experienced employees who would usually take the lead in projects related to software development. They are in charge of determining the needs of the organization, checking whether there are feasible solutions to challenges, and creating plans for the development of a software solution. They provide a sound analysis of data collected during the testing phase of the software and address any problems during the software development phase. Once the software has been developed, they then ensure that it works well and that it addresses the needs and expectations of the users.
Software development engineers lead and senior software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Development Engineer Lead | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $119,557 | $114,494 |
| Salary range | Between $91,000 And $155,000 | Between $86,000 And $151,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | PitchBook Data | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between a software development engineer lead and a senior software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Development Engineer Lead | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between software development engineers lead' and senior software engineers' demographics:
| Software Development Engineer Lead | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.8% Female, 16.2% | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% |
| 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, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 31.8% White, 50.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |