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The differences between solutions architects and software engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a solutions architect has an average salary of $116,327, which is higher than the $100,260 average annual salary of a software engineer.
The top three skills for a solutions architect include cloud, java and AWS. The most important skills for a software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Solutions Architect | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $116,327 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $55.93 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 107,754 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A solutions architect specializes in creating and implementing software systems that improve business operations and resolve network issues. They are primarily responsible for conducting research and analysis to assess the business's needs, develop specific designs for the company, provide solutions should there be any system issues, and keep company officials informed with all changes and updates. Furthermore, a solutions architect must lead and encourage development teams, stay up to date with the newest trends to continue innovations within the systems, and implement its policies and guidelines.
A software engineer is a computer science professional who is responsible for the development of information systems, designing and building computer systems software and applications software. They often prefer to call themselves as a software developer or computer programmer. They have substantial knowledge of programming languages, software development, and computer operating systems, and other technologies. They use these to turn a plan into a final output. They can create a design, test, and develop software based on the needs of their clients.
Solutions architects and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Solutions Architect | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $116,327 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $87,000 And $154,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Airbnb | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a solutions architect and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Solutions Architect | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between solutions architects' and software engineers' demographics:
| Solutions Architect | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.6% Female, 13.4% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| 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, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 34.0% White, 48.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |