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The differences between software leaders and software development managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a software leader, becoming a software development manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a software development manager has an average salary of $134,747, 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 software development manager are java, AWS, and architecture.
| Software Leader | Software Development Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $124,694 | $134,747 |
| Hourly rate | $59.95 | $64.78 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 267,920 | 265,464 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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 software development manager is an individual who manages teams of software developers that design and create software applications and web services for clients. Software development managers should delegate duties and establish development standards for the development team as well as create a budget and timeline for the project. They must meet with management to discuss how software applications can achieve business objectives. Once the software has been developed, software development managers must train technical and non-technical end-users. They must also be skilled in different programming languages such as HTML, SQL, and JavaScript.
Software leaders and software development managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Leader | Software Development Manager | |
| Average salary | $124,694 | $134,747 |
| Salary range | Between $93,000 And $166,000 | Between $100,000 And $180,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a software leader and a software development manager in terms of educational background:
| Software Leader | Software Development Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between software leaders' and software development managers' demographics:
| Software Leader | Software Development Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8% | Male, 85.1% Female, 14.9% |
| 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, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |