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The differences between software development managers and principal software engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a software development manager, becoming a principal software engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a software development manager has an average salary of $134,747, which is higher than the $134,230 average annual salary of a principal software engineer.
The top three skills for a software development manager include java, AWS and architecture. The most important skills for a principal software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Software Development Manager | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $134,747 | $134,230 |
| Hourly rate | $64.78 | $64.53 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 265,464 | 345,893 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A software development manager is an individual who manages teams of software developers that design and create software applications and web services for clients. Software development managers should delegate duties and establish development standards for the development team as well as create a budget and timeline for the project. They must meet with management to discuss how software applications can achieve business objectives. Once the software has been developed, software development managers must train technical and non-technical end-users. They must also be skilled in different programming languages such as HTML, SQL, and JavaScript.
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.
Software development managers and principal software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Development Manager | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $134,747 | $134,230 |
| Salary range | Between $100,000 And $180,000 | Between $98,000 And $182,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between a software development manager and a principal software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Development Manager | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between software development managers' and principal software engineers' demographics:
| Software Development Manager | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.1% Female, 14.9% | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | 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 | 11% | 8% |