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The differences between functional analysts and solutions architects can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a solutions architect has an average salary of $116,327, which is higher than the $96,841 average annual salary of a functional analyst.
The top three skills for a functional analyst include business process, lifecycle management and HR. The most important skills for a solutions architect are cloud, java, and AWS.
| Functional Analyst | Solutions Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $96,841 | $116,327 |
| Hourly rate | $46.56 | $55.93 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 52,085 | 107,754 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
Functional analysts are professionals specializing in a specific line of business, technology, and industry. They collect information by interviewing managers and employees and studying the company's systems and procedures. They design computer systems that meet business requirements and prepare reports for the managers. Additional duties for this role include installing and configuring new systems, running tests to ensure that specifications are met, and writing user manuals. Functional analysts are also responsible for conducting training on new capabilities to existing end-users.
A solutions architect specializes in creating and implementing software systems that improve business operations and resolve network issues. They are primarily responsible for conducting research and analysis to assess the business's needs, develop specific designs for the company, provide solutions should there be any system issues, and keep company officials informed with all changes and updates. Furthermore, a solutions architect must lead and encourage development teams, stay up to date with the newest trends to continue innovations within the systems, and implement its policies and guidelines.
Functional analysts and solutions architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Functional Analyst | Solutions Architect | |
| Average salary | $96,841 | $116,327 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $131,000 | Between $87,000 And $154,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Mexico | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Retail |
There are a few differences between a functional analyst and a solutions architect in terms of educational background:
| Functional Analyst | Solutions Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between functional analysts' and solutions architects' demographics:
| Functional Analyst | Solutions Architect | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.9% Female, 44.1% | Male, 86.6% Female, 13.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 19.5% White, 54.5% 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% |