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The differences between software specialists 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 software specialist and a software architect. Additionally, a software architect has an average salary of $114,406, which is higher than the $84,009 average annual salary of a software specialist.
The top three skills for a software specialist include C++, C # and database. The most important skills for a software architect are java, architecture, and cloud.
| Software Specialist | Software Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $84,009 | $114,406 |
| Hourly rate | $40.39 | $55.00 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 264,307 | 319,594 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Software Specialist designs and develops computer software and operating systems, establishing policies and protocols to ensure quality and data security. They function as a member of a company or an organization's information technology department. They also utilize their expertise by assessing and reviewing existing software, identifying its strengths and weaknesses, implementing solutions against vulnerable areas. Most of the time, a software specialist directly communicates with clients to determine their software needs and preferences, regularly coordinating to ensure client satisfaction and smooth workflow.
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 specialists and software architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Specialist | Software Architect | |
| Average salary | $84,009 | $114,406 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $115,000 | Between $82,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | American Express | Aspiration |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a software specialist and a software architect in terms of educational background:
| Software Specialist | Software Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between software specialists' and software architects' demographics:
| Software Specialist | Software Architect | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.2% Female, 32.8% | Male, 93.8% Female, 6.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.5% 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% |