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The differences between lead engineers and architects can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a lead engineer, becoming an architect takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an architect has an average salary of $86,635, which is higher than the $84,927 average annual salary of a lead engineer.
The top three skills for a lead engineer include java, python and architecture. The most important skills for an architect are cloud, java, and infrastructure.
| Lead Engineer | Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $84,927 | $86,635 |
| Hourly rate | $40.83 | $41.65 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 301,777 | 94,621 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A lead engineer's duties vary on their line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities will revolve around overseeing the progress of operations and performance of the workforce, ensuring that everything is running smoothly. They are also responsible for addressing issues and concerns, assessing risks, monitoring the budget, coordinating with clients and architects, and even training workers. Furthermore, as a lead engineer, it is crucial to conduct regular inspections to ensure the quality of work and maintain a safe environment for all workers.
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".
Lead engineers and architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Engineer | Architect | |
| Average salary | $84,927 | $86,635 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $120,000 | Between $54,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a lead engineer and an architect in terms of educational background:
| Lead Engineer | Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Architecture |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between lead engineers' and architects' demographics:
| Lead Engineer | Architect | |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% | Male, 76.7% Female, 23.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 15% |