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The differences between software engineering specialists 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 engineering specialist and a principal software engineer. Additionally, a principal software engineer has an average salary of $134,230, which is higher than the $104,819 average annual salary of a software engineering specialist.
The top three skills for a software engineering specialist include java, software development and python. The most important skills for a principal software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Software Engineering Specialist | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $104,819 | $134,230 |
| Hourly rate | $50.39 | $64.53 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 260,865 | 345,893 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A software engineering specialist designs and develops software engineering components. Moreover, they evaluate technical architecture and framework. They conduct tests on software and carry out any updates that are needed. Strong teamwork and communication skills are necessary for this position.
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 engineering specialists and principal software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Engineering Specialist | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $104,819 | $134,230 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $133,000 | Between $98,000 And $182,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Media | Retail |
There are a few differences between a software engineering specialist and a principal software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Engineering Specialist | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | 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 engineering specialists' and principal software engineers' demographics:
| Software Engineering Specialist | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.5% Female, 21.5% | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.2% 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% |