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The differences between software leaders 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 leader and a principal software engineer. Additionally, a principal software engineer has an average salary of $134,230, which is higher than the $124,694 average annual salary of a software leader.
The top three skills for a software leader include java, python and cloud. The most important skills for a principal software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Software Leader | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $124,694 | $134,230 |
| Hourly rate | $59.95 | $64.53 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 267,920 | 345,893 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Software Leader takes responsibility for the execution of his/her /her team and the quality of the team's performance. Software Leaders ensure the cadence of their team's production process. As coaches, leaders mentor and teach the people within the team. They extend help when their team needs it to remove any possible hindrance. Also, they serve as team ambassadors or representatives.
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 leaders and principal software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Leader | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $124,694 | $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 | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Retail |
There are a few differences between a software leader and a principal software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Leader | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between software leaders' and principal software engineers' demographics:
| Software Leader | Principal Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8% | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.4% 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% |