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The differences between lead architects and developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a lead architect has an average salary of $104,687, which is higher than the $100,076 average annual salary of a developer.
The top three skills for a lead architect include digital transformation, architecture and java. The most important skills for a developer are javascript, python, and java.
| Lead Architect | Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $104,687 | $100,076 |
| Hourly rate | $50.33 | $48.11 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 266,541 | 262,570 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A lead architect spearheads architectural operations while maintaining an active communication line with clients. They typically meet with clients to discuss the project's needs and specifications, agree on a budget, provide advice and recommendations, and negotiate contracts. They are also in charge of developing building designs, coordinating staff, devising plans, incorporating essential systems, and providing technical and guidance as needed. Moreover, as the lead architect of the project, they must enforce policies and regulations to maintain a smooth and efficient workflow.
Developers are usually system or application developers in a company who work on specific projects related to networks or applications from conception to implementation. They attend planning sessions to ensure that the program is feasible. They are responsible for designing the system through coding and basic user interface design. They also work on troubleshooting any challenges that may be met at the testing stage of the program's development. They solve challenges and ensure that minimal problems will arise upon publishing the system or application. They also manage the evaluation to ensure that the program's goals are accomplished and that the end-users are satisfied with the results.
Lead architects and developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Architect | Developer | |
| Average salary | $104,687 | $100,076 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $139,000 | Between $76,000 And $131,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a lead architect and a developer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Architect | Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between lead architects' and developers' demographics:
| Lead Architect | Developer | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.2% Female, 9.8% | Male, 74.9% Female, 25.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |