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The differences between project architects and staff 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 project architect and a staff architect. Additionally, a project architect has an average salary of $76,812, which is higher than the $74,065 average annual salary of a staff architect.
The top three skills for a project architect include revit, autocad and sketch. The most important skills for a staff architect are java, revit, and conceptual development.
| Project Architect | Staff Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $76,812 | $74,065 |
| Hourly rate | $36.93 | $35.61 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 82,192 | 144,134 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A project architect spearheads and oversees a construction project's design and development procedures from the planning stages to its completion, ensuring it adheres to standards, budgets, and deadlines. They primarily coordinate with the clients to understand and identify project needs, leading the engineers and contractors throughout the project. They are also typically in charge of preparing all of the necessary documents and ensuring that procedures adhere to state and federal laws, including the environmental, zoning, and safety standards. Additionally, a project architect maintains an open communication line with the clients, updating them regularly.
A Staff Architect is responsible for developing conceptual designs, preparing construction documents, and providing assistance and consultation to clients on architectural problems. They also help senior architects with various tasks.
Project architects and staff architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Architect | Staff Architect | |
| Average salary | $76,812 | $74,065 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $110,000 | Between $47,000 And $114,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Western Alliance Bank | NVIDIA |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Technology |
There are a few differences between a project architect and a staff architect in terms of educational background:
| Project Architect | Staff Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Architecture | Architecture |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between project architects' and staff architects' demographics:
| Project Architect | Staff Architect | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.9% Female, 19.1% | Male, 77.1% Female, 22.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.3% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 16.4% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 2.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 16.1% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 15% |