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The differences between software leaders and senior software development 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 senior software development engineer. Additionally, a software leader has an average salary of $124,694, which is higher than the $116,926 average annual salary of a senior software development engineer.
The top three skills for a software leader include java, python and cloud. The most important skills for a senior software development engineer are java, software development, and python.
| Software Leader | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $124,694 | $116,926 |
| Hourly rate | $59.95 | $56.21 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 267,920 | 346,833 |
| 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 senior software development engineer specializes in leading the efforts in designing and developing software and information systems, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities typically revolve around installing and repairing existing computer systems, conducting regular maintenance checks, troubleshooting, testing new designs, and performing research and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of operations, improving them to achieve optimal performance. Furthermore, as a senior software development engineer, it is essential to monitor and encourage the team, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Software leaders and senior software development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Leader | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $124,694 | $116,926 |
| Salary range | Between $93,000 And $166,000 | Between $87,000 And $156,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a software leader and a senior software development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Leader | Senior Software Development 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 | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between software leaders' and senior software development engineers' demographics:
| Software Leader | Senior Software Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8% | Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1% |
| 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, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 30.6% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |