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Real estate developer vs architect

The differences between real estate developers and architects can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a real estate developer, becoming an architect takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a real estate developer has an average salary of $93,510, which is higher than the $86,635 average annual salary of an architect.

The top three skills for a real estate developer include financial statements, property management and due diligence. The most important skills for an architect are cloud, java, and infrastructure.

Real estate developer vs architect overview

Real Estate DeveloperArchitect
Yearly salary$93,510$86,635
Hourly rate$44.96$41.65
Growth rate3%3%
Number of jobs87,86594,621
Job satisfaction-3
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age4845
Years of experience64

What does a real estate developer do?

A real estate developer obtains and develops land, turning it into a real estate asset. Part of their job is to conduct extensive research and analyses, coordinate with experts, gather and analyze data, negotiate with land sellers, and prepare properties for development. They also oversee construction operations from planning to execution, set budgets and guidelines, establish timelines and objectives, generate leads for potential clients, and maintain an active communication line with contractors for a smooth and efficient workflow.

What does an architect do?

Architects are licensed professionals who specialize in art and science of design, building constructions, and structures. They play a vital role in the construction and not only responsible for the appearance but also the safety of users. They ensure that every structure is functional, safe, cost-effective, and suit the needs of the future occupants. They closely monitor the working progress to make sure that the project is built according to plan. Some architects are focused mainly on creating designs while some are exclusive in the production of building plans or "blueprints".

Real estate developer vs architect salary

Real estate developers and architects have different pay scales, as shown below.

Real Estate DeveloperArchitect
Average salary$93,510$86,635
Salary rangeBetween $66,000 And $131,000Between $54,000 And $137,000
Highest paying CityCatonsville, MDSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateConnecticutAlaska
Best paying companyRSM USMeta
Best paying industryMediaTechnology

Differences between real estate developer and architect education

There are a few differences between a real estate developer and an architect in terms of educational background:

Real Estate DeveloperArchitect
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common majorBusinessArchitecture
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaCornell University

Real estate developer vs architect demographics

Here are the differences between real estate developers' and architects' demographics:

Real Estate DeveloperArchitect
Average age4845
Gender ratioMale, 66.9% Female, 33.1%Male, 76.7% Female, 23.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 5.4% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 2.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 16.0% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage12%15%

Differences between real estate developer and architect duties and responsibilities

Real estate developer example responsibilities.

  • Manage segment's treasury function including equity forecasting and investment requests as well as lender relations in a difficult banking environment.
  • Convert FTTH's accounting to QuickBooks
  • Install windows, doors and put on metal roof.
  • Remodel entire building, add bathroom, and double glaze windows for views of mountains.
  • Assist in the preparation of GAAP, statutory, management, and other financial reporting on monthly and quarterly basis.
  • Conduct semi-annual asset valuations and pro-forma analyses using ARGUS and self-developed models.
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Architect example responsibilities.

  • Manage Daimler resources for development of RFC programs
  • Manage overall testing activities withing the group including functinal, system and regression testing.
  • Manage the company website using HTML and CSS to produce an easily read website that customers can access more intuitively.
  • Manage GitLab and Jenkins deployment environment to support automate AWS- development software builds.
  • Lead re-architecture and implementation of cloud solution for enterprise auto-backup of individual computing devices.
  • Provide insight and manage all technology relate aspects with presentations and communications at Sr. management and CxO level.
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Real estate developer vs architect skills

Common real estate developer skills
  • Financial Statements, 14%
  • Property Management, 10%
  • Due Diligence, 8%
  • General Contractors, 7%
  • Payroll, 4%
  • Real Estate Development, 4%
Common architect skills
  • Cloud, 10%
  • Java, 8%
  • Infrastructure, 7%
  • Azure, 5%
  • AWS, 5%
  • Digital Transformation, 5%

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