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The differences between principal software engineers and software architects can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a principal software engineer and a software architect. Additionally, a principal software engineer has an average salary of $134,230, which is higher than the $114,406 average annual salary of a software architect.
The top three skills for a principal software engineer include java, python and software development. The most important skills for a software architect are java, architecture, and cloud.
| Principal Software Engineer | Software Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $134,230 | $114,406 |
| Hourly rate | $64.53 | $55.00 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 345,893 | 319,594 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Principal Software Engineer is responsible for the technical aspects of an organization's projects. They diagnose, document, and troubleshoot systems to resolve problems identified through testing, as well as implement strategies to improve integration and efficiency.
A Software Architect develops new programs for a variety of technological devices for businesses, computer games, mobile networks, and/or operating systems. They ensure architectural integrity and consistency across the entire product and work closely with executives to explain the benefits of the software.
Principal software engineers and software architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Software Engineer | Software Architect | |
| Average salary | $134,230 | $114,406 |
| Salary range | Between $98,000 And $182,000 | Between $82,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | Aspiration | |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a principal software engineer and a software architect in terms of educational background:
| Principal Software Engineer | Software Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between principal software engineers' and software architects' demographics:
| Principal Software Engineer | Software Architect | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% | Male, 93.8% Female, 6.2% |
| 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, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |