Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between software engineers-team lead and principal 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 engineer-team lead and a principal software engineer. Additionally, a principal software engineer has an average salary of $134,230, which is higher than the $124,741 average annual salary of a software engineer-team lead.
The top three skills for a software engineer-team lead include java, architecture and software development. The most important skills for a principal software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Software Engineer-Team Lead | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $124,741 | $134,230 |
| Hourly rate | $59.97 | $64.53 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 334,028 | 345,893 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A software engineer team lead manages a team through the entire process of software development. They analyze the project, identify errors, and conduct troubleshooting. They also ensure that all deadlines are met and that work is conducted efficiently. They must create weekly reports.
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 engineers-team lead and principal software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Engineer-Team Lead | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $124,741 | $134,230 |
| Salary range | Between $93,000 And $166,000 | Between $98,000 And $182,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Roku | |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Retail |
There are a few differences between a software engineer-team lead and a principal software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Engineer-Team Lead | Principal 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 | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between software engineers-team lead' and principal software engineers' demographics:
| Software Engineer-Team Lead | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.2% Female, 18.8% | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 8% | 8% |