Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between software leaders and senior 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 senior software engineer. Additionally, a software leader has an average salary of $124,694, which is higher than the $114,494 average annual salary of a senior software engineer.
The top three skills for a software leader include java, python and cloud. The most important skills for a senior software engineer are java, python, and javascript.
| Software Leader | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $124,694 | $114,494 |
| Hourly rate | $59.95 | $55.05 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 267,920 | 338,989 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| 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.
Senior software engineers are experienced employees who would usually take the lead in projects related to software development. They are in charge of determining the needs of the organization, checking whether there are feasible solutions to challenges, and creating plans for the development of a software solution. They provide a sound analysis of data collected during the testing phase of the software and address any problems during the software development phase. Once the software has been developed, they then ensure that it works well and that it addresses the needs and expectations of the users.
Software leaders and senior software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Leader | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $124,694 | $114,494 |
| Salary range | Between $93,000 And $166,000 | Between $86,000 And $151,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Retail |
There are a few differences between a software leader and a senior software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Leader | Senior 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 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between software leaders' and senior software engineers' demographics:
| Software Leader | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8% | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% |
| 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, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 31.8% White, 50.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |