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The differences between principal architects and architects can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a principal architect has an average salary of $133,276, which is higher than the $86,635 average annual salary of an architect.
The top three skills for a principal architect include cloud, infrastructure and emerging technologies. The most important skills for an architect are cloud, java, and infrastructure.
| Principal Architect | Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $133,276 | $86,635 |
| Hourly rate | $64.08 | $41.65 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 118,908 | 94,621 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 44 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
Principal Architects manage all design work at an architecture firm. They ensure that all work is of high professional quality and manage the activity of other design professionals.
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".
Principal architects and architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Architect | Architect | |
| Average salary | $133,276 | $86,635 |
| Salary range | Between $97,000 And $181,000 | Between $54,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a principal architect and an architect in terms of educational background:
| Principal Architect | Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Architecture | Architecture |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between principal architects' and architects' demographics:
| Principal Architect | Architect | |
| Average age | 44 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7% | Male, 76.7% Female, 23.3% |
| 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, 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 | 11% | 15% |