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The differences between principal architects and solutions 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 $116,327 average annual salary of a solutions architect.
The top three skills for a principal architect include cloud, infrastructure and emerging technologies. The most important skills for a solutions architect are cloud, java, and AWS.
| Principal Architect | Solutions Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $133,276 | $116,327 |
| Hourly rate | $64.08 | $55.93 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 118,908 | 107,754 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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 solutions architect specializes in creating and implementing software systems that improve business operations and resolve network issues. They are primarily responsible for conducting research and analysis to assess the business's needs, develop specific designs for the company, provide solutions should there be any system issues, and keep company officials informed with all changes and updates. Furthermore, a solutions architect must lead and encourage development teams, stay up to date with the newest trends to continue innovations within the systems, and implement its policies and guidelines.
Principal architects and solutions architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Architect | Solutions Architect | |
| Average salary | $133,276 | $116,327 |
| Salary range | Between $97,000 And $181,000 | Between $87,000 And $154,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Airbnb | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between a principal architect and a solutions architect in terms of educational background:
| Principal Architect | Solutions Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Architecture | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between principal architects' and solutions architects' demographics:
| Principal Architect | Solutions Architect | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7% | Male, 86.6% Female, 13.4% |
| 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, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |