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The differences between lead software architects and contract software engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a lead software architect and a contract software engineer. Additionally, a lead software architect has an average salary of $123,577, which is higher than the $102,925 average annual salary of a contract software engineer.
The top three skills for a lead software architect include java, C++ and software development. The most important skills for a contract software engineer are java, software development, and database.
| Lead Software Architect | Contract Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $123,577 | $102,925 |
| Hourly rate | $59.41 | $49.48 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 307,926 | 322,978 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Lead software architects and contract software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Software Architect | Contract Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $123,577 | $102,925 |
| Salary range | Between $89,000 And $170,000 | Between $76,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | The Walt Disney Company | - |
| Best paying industry | Retail | - |
There are a few differences between a lead software architect and a contract software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Software Architect | Contract Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | 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 software architects' and contract software engineers' demographics:
| Lead Software Architect | Contract Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |