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The differences between principal architects and principal engineers 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 $130,213 average annual salary of a principal engineer.
The top three skills for a principal architect include cloud, infrastructure and emerging technologies. The most important skills for a principal engineer are java, architecture, and python.
| Principal Architect | Principal Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $133,276 | $130,213 |
| Hourly rate | $64.08 | $62.60 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 118,908 | 312,683 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
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.
A principal engineer is responsible for monitoring the overall design phase of the construction process, including coordinating with the client for progress and updates, as well as performing adjustments as needed based on clients' specifications and requirements. Principal engineers also inspect the materials and resources used to ensure that the project stays within the budget goals and set timeframe. They should have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in preparing reports and training new staff.
Principal architects and principal engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Architect | Principal Engineer | |
| Average salary | $133,276 | $130,213 |
| Salary range | Between $97,000 And $181,000 | Between $95,000 And $177,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Grubhub | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a principal architect and a principal engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Architect | Principal Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Architecture | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between principal architects' and principal engineers' demographics:
| Principal Architect | Principal Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7% | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.6% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 5% |