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The differences between architects and software architects can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an architect and a software architect. Additionally, a software architect has an average salary of $114,406, which is higher than the $86,635 average annual salary of an architect.
The top three skills for an architect include cloud, java and infrastructure. The most important skills for a software architect are java, architecture, and cloud.
| Architect | Software Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $86,635 | $114,406 |
| Hourly rate | $41.65 | $55.00 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 94,621 | 319,594 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Architects are licensed professionals who specialize in art and science of design, building constructions, and structures. They play a vital role in the construction and not only responsible for the appearance but also the safety of users. They ensure that every structure is functional, safe, cost-effective, and suit the needs of the future occupants. They closely monitor the working progress to make sure that the project is built according to plan. Some architects are focused mainly on creating designs while some are exclusive in the production of building plans or "blueprints".
A Software Architect develops new programs for a variety of technological devices for businesses, computer games, mobile networks, and/or operating systems. They ensure architectural integrity and consistency across the entire product and work closely with executives to explain the benefits of the software.
Architects and software architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Architect | Software Architect | |
| Average salary | $86,635 | $114,406 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $137,000 | Between $82,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Aspiration |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an architect and a software architect in terms of educational background:
| Architect | Software Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Architecture | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between architects' and software architects' demographics:
| Architect | Software Architect | |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.7% Female, 23.3% | Male, 93.8% Female, 6.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 16.0% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 8% |