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The differences between subject matter experts and solutions architects 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 $103,749 average annual salary of a subject matter expert.
The top three skills for a subject matter expert include SME, project management and DOD. The most important skills for a solutions architect are cloud, java, and AWS.
| Subject Matter Expert | Solutions Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $103,749 | $116,327 |
| Hourly rate | $49.88 | $55.93 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 58,235 | 107,754 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
A subject matter expert is someone who has special knowledge and expertise about a specific process or service, providing advice to other team members or directly assisting customers with their inquiries and concerns. Subject matter experts coordinate on planning strategic procedures to improve the work processes and ensure customer satisfaction. They are also active in participating in learning programs and training sessions to share their knowledge and best practices for their specialization. Subject matter experts identify potential business opportunities to generate more revenues for the business and achieve its profitability goals.
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.
Subject matter experts and solutions architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Subject Matter Expert | Solutions Architect | |
| Average salary | $103,749 | $116,327 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $146,000 | Between $87,000 And $154,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Retail |
There are a few differences between a subject matter expert and a solutions architect in terms of educational background:
| Subject Matter Expert | Solutions Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between subject matter experts' and solutions architects' demographics:
| Subject Matter Expert | Solutions Architect | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.8% Female, 36.2% | Male, 86.6% Female, 13.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 12.1% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 11% |