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The differences between software leaders and 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 software engineer. Additionally, a software leader has an average salary of $124,694, which is higher than the $100,260 average annual salary of a software engineer.
The top three skills for a software leader include java, python and cloud. The most important skills for a software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Software Leader | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $124,694 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $59.95 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 267,920 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| 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 software engineer is a computer science professional who is responsible for the development of information systems, designing and building computer systems software and applications software. They often prefer to call themselves as a software developer or computer programmer. They have substantial knowledge of programming languages, software development, and computer operating systems, and other technologies. They use these to turn a plan into a final output. They can create a design, test, and develop software based on the needs of their clients.
Software leaders and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Leader | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $124,694 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $93,000 And $166,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a software leader and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Leader | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between software leaders' and software engineers' demographics:
| Software Leader | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| 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, 8.1% Asian, 34.0% White, 48.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |