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The differences between technical project managers 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 $108,205 average annual salary of a technical project manager.
The top three skills for a technical project manager include project management, technical project and scrum. The most important skills for a solutions architect are cloud, java, and AWS.
| Technical Project Manager | Solutions Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $108,205 | $116,327 |
| Hourly rate | $52.02 | $55.93 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 209,820 | 107,754 |
| Job satisfaction | 1 | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
The role of technical project managers is to oversee the planning and management of projects within a company. They are considered as the lead subject matter expert in terms of technology concerns. They have varied duties that include ensuring the completion of projects within an established budget and time frame, hiring and training support members, and improving resource management and project planning. They also communicate with stakeholders and collaborate with other departments, all to attain a common goal.
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.
Technical project managers and solutions architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Project Manager | Solutions Architect | |
| Average salary | $108,205 | $116,327 |
| Salary range | Between $81,000 And $142,000 | Between $87,000 And $154,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Retail |
There are a few differences between a technical project manager and a solutions architect in terms of educational background:
| Technical Project Manager | Solutions Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between technical project managers' and solutions architects' demographics:
| Technical Project Manager | Solutions Architect | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.2% Female, 26.8% | Male, 86.6% Female, 13.4% |
| 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, 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 | 11% | 11% |