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The differences between technical supervisors and principal engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a technical supervisor, becoming a principal engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a principal engineer has an average salary of $130,213, which is higher than the $89,670 average annual salary of a technical supervisor.
The top three skills for a technical supervisor include customer service, customer satisfaction and patient care. The most important skills for a principal engineer are java, architecture, and python.
| Technical Supervisor | Principal Engineer | |
| Yearly Salary | $89,670 | $130,213 |
| Hourly rate | $43.11 | $62.60 |
| Growth Rate | 8% | 2% |
| Number Of Jobs | 83,226 | 312,683 |
| Job Satisfaction | - | - |
| Most Common Degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average Age | 49 | 41 |
| Years Of Experience | 4 | 6 |
A technical supervisor is a leader who offers hands-on leadership for the staff members. Technical supervisors oversee employee performance in a certain department of the organization. They monitor the installation, repair, troubleshooting, and maintenance work of technicians. They supervise teams of technicians, oversee workers, and perform inspections on work orders. Their skills include leadership, confidence, problem-solving, empathy, and strong communication skills. They should also be compassionate, be able to manage time, and a problem solver.
A principal engineer is responsible for monitoring the overall design phase of the construction process, including coordinating with the client for progress and updates, as well as performing adjustments as needed based on clients' specifications and requirements. Principal engineers also inspect the materials and resources used to ensure that the project stays within the budget goals and set timeframe. They should have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in preparing reports and training new staff.
Technical supervisors and principal engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Supervisor | Principal Engineer | |
| Average Salary | $89,670 | $130,213 |
| Salary Range | Between $63,000 And $126,000 | Between $95,000 And $177,000 |
| Highest Paying City | Sunnyvale, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest Paying State | New Jersey | California |
| Best Paying Company | SE2 | Grubhub |
| Best Paying Industry | Manufacturing | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a technical supervisor and a principal engineer in terms of educational background:
| Technical Supervisor | Principal Engineer | |
| Most Common Degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most Common Major | Business | Electrical Engineering |
| Most Common College | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between technical supervisors' and principal engineers' demographics:
| Technical Supervisor | Principal Engineer | |
| Average Age | 49 | 41 |
| Gender Ratio | Male, 78.7% Female, 21.3% | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% |
| Race Ratio | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 2.1% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.6% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |