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The differences between principal software engineers and technology 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 technology architect. Additionally, a principal software engineer has an average salary of $134,230, which is higher than the $108,837 average annual salary of a technology architect.
The top three skills for a principal software engineer include java, python and software development. The most important skills for a technology architect are cloud, java, and apex.
| Principal Software Engineer | Technology Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $134,230 | $108,837 |
| Hourly rate | $64.53 | $52.33 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 345,893 | 131,229 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 39 | 45 |
| 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 Technology Architect anticipates and indentifies the IT needs and problems of a company and designs efficient solutions to them. They are usually specialized in specific fields of an IT framework, such as security.
Principal software engineers and technology architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Software Engineer | Technology Architect | |
| Average salary | $134,230 | $108,837 |
| Salary range | Between $98,000 And $182,000 | Between $83,000 And $142,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a principal software engineer and a technology architect in terms of educational background:
| Principal Software Engineer | Technology Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between principal software engineers' and technology architects' demographics:
| Principal Software Engineer | Technology Architect | |
| Average age | 39 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% | Male, 87.8% Female, 12.2% |
| 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, 2.3% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 16.3% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 15% |