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The differences between senior software programmers 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 programmer and a software architect. Additionally, a software architect has an average salary of $114,406, which is higher than the $101,960 average annual salary of a senior software programmer.
The top three skills for a senior software programmer include javascript, C++ and java. The most important skills for a software architect are java, architecture, and cloud.
| Senior Software Programmer | Software Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $101,960 | $114,406 |
| Hourly rate | $49.02 | $55.00 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 252,355 | 319,594 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Senior software programmers and software architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Software Programmer | Software Architect | |
| Average salary | $101,960 | $114,406 |
| Salary range | Between $79,000 And $131,000 | Between $82,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Uber Technologies | Aspiration |
| Best paying industry | Media | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a senior software programmer and a software architect in terms of educational background:
| Senior Software Programmer | Software Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | 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 programmers' and software architects' demographics:
| Senior Software Programmer | Software Architect | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.8% Female, 24.2% | Male, 93.8% Female, 6.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.3% White, 52.3% 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% |