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The differences between senior network architects and architects can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a senior network architect, becoming an architect takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a senior network architect has an average salary of $114,322, which is higher than the $86,635 average annual salary of an architect.
The top three skills for a senior network architect include cloud, azure and OSPF. The most important skills for an architect are cloud, java, and infrastructure.
| Senior Network Architect | Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $114,322 | $86,635 |
| Hourly rate | $54.96 | $41.65 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 95,327 | 94,621 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A senior network architect specializes in designing and establishing networks and systems in a company. It is their responsibility to determine the network and communication needs of a company, conduct research and analysis, gather and analyze data from various operations, develop strategies to optimize operations, and oversee procedures from planning to execution, ensuring accuracy and smooth workflow. Moreover, as a senior network architect, they must lead and serve as a role model to junior architects, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
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".
Senior network architects and architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Network Architect | Architect | |
| Average salary | $114,322 | $86,635 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $158,000 | Between $54,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior network architect and an architect in terms of educational background:
| Senior Network Architect | Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Architecture |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between senior network architects' and architects' demographics:
| Senior Network Architect | Architect | |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.5% Female, 3.5% | Male, 76.7% Female, 23.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 10.9% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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 Percentage | 9% | 15% |