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The differences between senior architects and lead architects can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a lead architect has an average salary of $104,687, which is higher than the $91,624 average annual salary of a senior architect.
The top three skills for a senior architect include cloud, java and infrastructure. The most important skills for a lead architect are digital transformation, architecture, and java.
| Senior Architect | Lead Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $91,624 | $104,687 |
| Hourly rate | $44.05 | $50.33 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 103,428 | 266,541 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
A Senior Architect performs design drafting and evaluates architectural or engineering plans regarding building construction or improvement projects. They review building plans and site design for aesthetics, environmental acceptability, and compliance with quality standards.
A lead architect spearheads architectural operations while maintaining an active communication line with clients. They typically meet with clients to discuss the project's needs and specifications, agree on a budget, provide advice and recommendations, and negotiate contracts. They are also in charge of developing building designs, coordinating staff, devising plans, incorporating essential systems, and providing technical and guidance as needed. Moreover, as the lead architect of the project, they must enforce policies and regulations to maintain a smooth and efficient workflow.
Senior architects and lead architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Architect | Lead Architect | |
| Average salary | $91,624 | $104,687 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $143,000 | Between $78,000 And $139,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | Ropes & Gray | |
| Best paying industry | - | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a senior architect and a lead architect in terms of educational background:
| Senior Architect | Lead Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior architects' and lead architects' demographics:
| Senior Architect | Lead Architect | |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.0% Female, 11.0% | Male, 90.2% Female, 9.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 15% | 11% |