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The differences between senior software engineers and software 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 senior software engineer and a software architect. Additionally, a senior software engineer has an average salary of $114,494, which is higher than the $114,406 average annual salary of a software architect.
The top three skills for a senior software engineer include java, python and javascript. The most important skills for a software architect are java, architecture, and cloud.
| Senior Software Engineer | Software Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $114,494 | $114,406 |
| Hourly rate | $55.05 | $55.00 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 338,989 | 319,594 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Senior software engineers are experienced employees who would usually take the lead in projects related to software development. They are in charge of determining the needs of the organization, checking whether there are feasible solutions to challenges, and creating plans for the development of a software solution. They provide a sound analysis of data collected during the testing phase of the software and address any problems during the software development phase. Once the software has been developed, they then ensure that it works well and that it addresses the needs and expectations of the users.
A Software Architect develops new programs for a variety of technological devices for businesses, computer games, mobile networks, and/or operating systems. They ensure architectural integrity and consistency across the entire product and work closely with executives to explain the benefits of the software.
Senior software engineers and software architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Software Engineer | Software Architect | |
| Average salary | $114,494 | $114,406 |
| Salary range | Between $86,000 And $151,000 | Between $82,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Aspiration |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a senior software engineer and a software architect in terms of educational background:
| Senior Software Engineer | Software Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between senior software engineers' and software architects' demographics:
| Senior Software Engineer | Software Architect | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% | Male, 93.8% Female, 6.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 31.8% White, 50.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |