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The differences between software development managers and software architects can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a software development manager, becoming a software architect takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a software development manager has an average salary of $134,747, which is higher than the $114,406 average annual salary of a software architect.
The top three skills for a software development manager include java, AWS and architecture. The most important skills for a software architect are java, architecture, and cloud.
| Software Development Manager | Software Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $134,747 | $114,406 |
| Hourly rate | $64.78 | $55.00 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 265,464 | 319,594 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A software development manager is an individual who manages teams of software developers that design and create software applications and web services for clients. Software development managers should delegate duties and establish development standards for the development team as well as create a budget and timeline for the project. They must meet with management to discuss how software applications can achieve business objectives. Once the software has been developed, software development managers must train technical and non-technical end-users. They must also be skilled in different programming languages such as HTML, SQL, and JavaScript.
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.
Software development managers and software architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Development Manager | Software Architect | |
| Average salary | $134,747 | $114,406 |
| Salary range | Between $100,000 And $180,000 | Between $82,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Aspiration |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a software development manager and a software architect in terms of educational background:
| Software Development Manager | Software Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between software development managers' and software architects' demographics:
| Software Development Manager | Software Architect | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.1% Female, 14.9% | Male, 93.8% Female, 6.2% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 11% | 8% |