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The differences between lead architects and software engineers lead can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a software engineer lead has an average salary of $125,565, which is higher than the $104,687 average annual salary of a lead architect.
The top three skills for a lead architect include digital transformation, architecture and java. The most important skills for a software engineer lead are java, python, and software development.
| Lead Architect | Software Engineer Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $104,687 | $125,565 |
| Hourly rate | $50.33 | $60.37 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 266,541 | 342,462 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| 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.
A Software Engineer Lead is focused on developing and testing software programs. They manage a team of software engineers that design enterprise software products and operating systems.
Lead architects and software engineers lead have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Architect | Software Engineer Lead | |
| Average salary | $104,687 | $125,565 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $139,000 | Between $93,000 And $168,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a lead architect and a software engineer lead in terms of educational background:
| Lead Architect | Software Engineer Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between lead architects' and software engineers lead' demographics:
| Lead Architect | Software Engineer Lead | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.2% Female, 9.8% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| 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, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |