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The differences between senior architects and senior design engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a senior architect, becoming a senior design engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior design engineer has an average salary of $104,698, 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 senior design engineer are CAD, project management, and RF.
| Senior Architect | Senior Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $91,624 | $104,698 |
| Hourly rate | $44.05 | $50.34 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 103,428 | 127,035 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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 senior design engineer is responsible for creating mechanical and electrical designs for machines and systems, following clients' specifications and business guidelines. Senior design engineers also assist junior design engineers with their tasks, sharing best practices and techniques, and suggesting adjustments as needed. They also oversee the manufacturing process, inspect possible inconsistencies, and revise plans without exceeding the agreed budget or compromising the quality. A senior design engineer must be keen with details and highly organizational, especially on meeting deadlines with the highest client satisfaction.
Senior architects and senior design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Architect | Senior Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $91,624 | $104,698 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $143,000 | Between $80,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | Ropes & Gray | |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior architect and a senior design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Architect | Senior Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between senior architects' and senior design engineers' demographics:
| Senior Architect | Senior Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.0% Female, 11.0% | Male, 91.8% Female, 8.2% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 5% |