Software Architect Salary

Created by Henry Steele

By Henry Steele - April 15, 2018
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The following article discusses the career path of Software Architect. Learn about how to become one, education requirements, job duties, traits and qualities, national salary outlook as well as top national employers of Software Architects.

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Job Duties

Software architects are responsible for the creation of customized software packages. These include such things as databases, coding programs, user interfaces, and web services. They usually work in larger agencies and corporations that develop software packages for other organizations. They are ultimately responsible for making sure that software solutions are created for their end users that are satisfactory and efficient. Additionally, they often hold responsibility for the development of standard coding programs and practices that software designers then use in their own organizations.

Furthermore, these professionals have to make sure that the packages they develop are fully cost efficient. They also have to remain up to date with new developments in the technological fields. They are responsible not just for the development of programs, but also for their implementation. Once that is done, they monitor the software and resolve any faults and bugs they come across, thereby ensuring that the software always functions properly. Additionally, they may develop training programs and manuals for the end users, thereby ensuring that they now how to use the new software.

Other job duties of the software architect are:

  • To develop new system components for improved operations
  • To create, test, and present new architectural software approaches and how they relate to elements of the operating system
  • To create brand new applications
  • To create, test, and present new software applications such as servers, clients, and web
  • To make sure the software architecture is consistent and has integrity across the board

Where We Work

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 1,256,200 software developers in 2016. The largest employers of these professionals are:

  • Software architects as they relate to applications held around 831,300 jobs across the following industries:
    • Computer systems design and related services 35%
    • Software publishers 10%
    • Finance and insurance 10%
    • Manufacturing 7%
    • Management of companies and enterprises 5%
  • Software architects as they relate to systems held around 425,000 jobs across the following industries:
    • Computer systems design and related services 31%
    • Manufacturing 18%
    • Software publishers 6%
    • Finance and insurance 6%
    • Engineering services 4%

How to Become

In order for someone to become a software architect, a bachelor’s degree is generally required. Usually, this degree is in computer science or a field related to it. However, it is becoming more common for employers to look for those who hold a master’s degree. It is also very important for a software achitect to understand technologies, such as .NET, C++, JQuery, HTML, and Javascript, as well as operating systems like Linux, iOS, and Windows.

Education Requirements

Typically, a software architect will hold a bachelor’s degree in a field relating to software engineering or computer science. The latter is the most common degree subject, as it covers so many different topics. Aspiring software architects should look for classes that teach them how to build software. Often, an internship is required for completion of the degree program.

Master’s degrees are becoming more commonplace for software architects. That said, those who have a lot of experience in computer programing and writing codes often enjoy a much higher demand. They usually learn this in school at bachelor’s degree level. Staying fully up to date with computer languages and new tools is also vital. Lastly, they may need to complete further training as it relates to their particular industry.

Traits & Qualities

The most effective software architects have the following traits to some degree or other:

– Excellent analytical skills
– Strong communication skills
– Very creative
– Keen eye for detail
– Great interpersonal skills
– Strong problem solving skills

Minimum Education

Bachelor’s Degree

National Salary

The national average salary estimate for Software Architect was $123,190. This number is estimated from over 9,849,636 employees, users past and present job advertisements from Indeed.com. This equates to an hourly salary of $64.16 and monthly of $10,266.

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$47,000

$235,000

Salary Distribution

Salary by State

The following section lists Software Architect salaries in each state around the country. The figures are based on the total number of job postings through Indeed.com. For example, California had the largest quoted salary of $139,605 while Kansas had the smallest quoted salary of $80,936.

AlaskaIdahoNorth CarolinaSouth Carolina
AlabamaIllinoisNorth DakotaSouth Dakota
ArkansasIndianaNebraskaTennessee
ArizonaKansasNew HampshireTexas
CaliforniaKentuckyNew JerseyUtah
ColoradoLouisianaNew MexicoVirginia
ConnecticutMassachusettsNevadaVermont
DCMarylandNew YorkWashington
DelawareMaineOhioWisconsin
FloridaMichiganOklahomaWest Virginia
GeorgiaMinnesotaOregon
HawaiiMissouriPennsylvania
IowaMississippiRhode Island
Alaska – $122,513Rank: 13th
The average salary ranks 13th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Workplace Alaska and Primastep, LLC.

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$62,000

$201,000

Salary Distribution
Alabama – $106,651Rank: 37th
The average salary ranks 37th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Deloitte, ITAC Solutions, Nigel Frank International, and At-Tech.

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$41,000

$202,000

Salary Distribution
Arkansas – $96,211Rank: 43rd
The average salary ranks 43rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like CyberCoders, Arkansas Department Of Human Services, IBM, and UST Global.

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$31,000

$196,000

Salary Distribution
Arizona – $112,823Rank: 25th
The average salary ranks 25th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Career Development Partners, Mason Frank, Headfarmer, and Intersys: Big Data And Application Development.

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$44,000

$212,000

Salary Distribution
California – $139,605Rank: 1st
The average salary ranks 1st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like PayPal, BayOne Solutions, VMware, and Symantec.

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$55,000

$262,000

Salary Distribution
Colorado – $120,662Rank: 14th
The average salary ranks 14th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Washington Frank, Mobius Technologies Inc., CRANIUM INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, and Fahrenheit IT.

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$50,000

$220,000

Salary Distribution
Connecticut – $125,831Rank: 8th
The average salary ranks 8th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like The Rembrandt Group LLC, Finezi Inc., IT PROS, and Sports Broadcasting Client.

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$46,000

$244,000

Salary Distribution
DC – $128,768Rank: 7th
The average salary ranks 7th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Parallel Partners, IBM, ALTA IT Services, LLC, and Mason Frank.

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$50,000

$243,000

Salary Distribution
Delaware – $123,490Rank: 11th
The average salary ranks 11th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Tech Mahindra, Request Technology, and ETS Inc..

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$46,000

$237,000

Salary Distribution
Florida – $113,538Rank: 24th
The average salary ranks 24th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Dynamics Jobs, CA Technologies, Saviance Technologies, and Global Consulting Company.

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$46,000

$211,000

Salary Distribution
Georgia – $119,307Rank: 17th
The average salary ranks 17th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Washington Frank, JSI, ARROWCORE GROUP, and Principle Solutions Group.

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$49,000

$218,000

Salary Distribution
Hawaii – $131,314Rank: 3rd
The average salary ranks 3rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Staffing Solutions of Hawaii and CyberCoders.

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$66,000

$199,000

Salary Distribution
Iowa – $110,664Rank: 30th
The average salary ranks 30th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Palmer Group, The University of Iowa, HCL Technologies, and Apex Systems.

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$49,000

$196,000

Salary Distribution
Idaho – $109,082Rank: 33rd
The average salary ranks 33rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Micron Technology, Inc., IBM, TEKsystems, and RuleTek.

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$46,000

$199,000

Salary Distribution
Illinois – $125,573Rank: 10th
The average salary ranks 10th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Microsoft, Mason Frank, Laso Corporation, and Mason Frank International.

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$55,000

$223,000

Salary Distribution
Indiana – $114,379Rank: 21st
The average salary ranks 21st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Tambola solutions, Global Consulting Company, LightWave Partners, and Red Sky Consulting.

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$50,000

$203,000

Salary Distribution
Kansas – $80,936Rank: 49th
The average salary ranks 49th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like PERSONNEL SERVICES INC., Lorventech solutions, HCL Technologies, and Saicon.

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$14,000

$205,000

Salary Distribution
Kentucky – $101,172Rank: 41st
The average salary ranks 41st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Commonwealth Office of Technology, Bosch, University of Kentucky, and V-Soft Consulting Group.

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$43,000

$184,000

Salary Distribution
Louisiana – $96,807Rank: 42nd
The average salary ranks 42nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Jackson Noble, Entergy, Robert Half Technology, and Tech Mahindra.

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$38,000

$180,000

Salary Distribution
Massachusetts – $130,475Rank: 4th
The average salary ranks 4th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Epic Force, V Dart, Inc., Liberty Mutual, and FRG Technology Consulting.

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$56,000

$235,000

Salary Distribution
Maryland – $129,467Rank: 6th
The average salary ranks 6th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like The Wolves, AMS Staffing Inc., Situated Consulting LLC, and Request Technology.

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$53,000

$238,000

Salary Distribution
Maine – $84,900Rank: 48th
The average salary ranks 48th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Chandra Technologies, Inc., Mason Frank, State of Maine, and State of Maine Office of Information Technology.

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$23,000

$186,000

Salary Distribution
Michigan – $107,490Rank: 34th
The average salary ranks 34th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Cameron Craig Group, fulltimeGiGS, Request Technology, and Ally Financial.

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$44,000

$198,000

Salary Distribution
Minnesota – $113,911Rank: 22nd
The average salary ranks 22nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like TCS America, Washington Frank, Niche Talent Finders, and TekisHub Consulting Services.

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$49,000

$206,000

Salary Distribution
Missouri – $109,478Rank: 32nd
The average salary ranks 32nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like PSG Global Solutions, Alliance Technologies LLC, Peoplentech LLC, and 3sixD Consulting.

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$43,000

$204,000

Salary Distribution
Mississippi – $93,314Rank: 45th
The average salary ranks 45th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Technology, ITAC Solutions, and HCL Technologies.

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$38,000

$172,000

Salary Distribution
North Carolina – $115,854Rank: 19th
The average salary ranks 19th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Washington Frank, Principle Solutions Group, iSwan Recruitment Solutions, and Cisco.

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$50,000

$209,000

Salary Distribution
North Dakota – $92,405Rank: 46th
The average salary ranks 46th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like V2Soft Pvt Ltd.

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$28,000

$192,000

Salary Distribution
Nebraska – $105,331Rank: 39th
The average salary ranks 39th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Technology, CyberCoders, Hexaware Technologies, and First Data.

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$41,000

$198,000

Salary Distribution
New Hampshire – $130,016Rank: 5th
The average salary ranks 5th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Valtech Services Inc, Robert Half Technology, Liberty Mutual, and CyberCoders.

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$57,000

$231,000

Salary Distribution
New Jersey – $117,546Rank: 18th
The average salary ranks 18th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like JPMorgan Chase, PRI Technology, Request Technology, and Mason Frank International.

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$45,000

$223,000

Salary Distribution
New Mexico – $107,398Rank: 35th
The average salary ranks 35th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Nigel Frank International and Los Alamos National Laboratory.

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$34,000

$221,000

Salary Distribution
Nevada – $111,957Rank: 28th
The average salary ranks 28th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Vision Information Technology, Strategic IT Staffing, IBS Software Services, and Tech Mahindra.

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$35,000

$231,000

Salary Distribution
New York – $133,164Rank: 2nd
The average salary ranks 2nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Pivotal Labs Inc, Harrington Starr, EC1 Partners, and Washington Frank.

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$49,000

$257,000

Salary Distribution
Ohio – $110,692Rank: 29th
The average salary ranks 29th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Axius Technologies Inc, Vtech Solution Inc, VUI, and Oxford Search Group.

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$46,000

$203,000

Salary Distribution
Oklahoma – $105,225Rank: 40th
The average salary ranks 40th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Rowland Group, The, Robert Half Technology, Hexaware Technologies, and SYSTEMS AMERICA.

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$34,000

$213,000

Salary Distribution
Oregon – $114,833Rank: 20th
The average salary ranks 20th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like HCL Technologies, State of Oregon, ITC Infotech, and Manpower.

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$43,000

$220,000

Salary Distribution
Pennsylvania – $120,192Rank: 15th
The average salary ranks 15th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like a2c IT Consulting, Professional Recruiting Services, Mason Frank, and Mason Frank International.

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$47,000

$226,000

Salary Distribution
Rhode Island – $112,447Rank: 27th
The average salary ranks 27th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), V Dart, Inc., HCL Technologies, and Beechwood Computing Ltd.

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$47,000

$205,000

Salary Distribution
South Carolina – $106,723Rank: 36th
The average salary ranks 36th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Harrington Starr, CGI Group, Clemson University, and Hanu Software Solutions, Inc..

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$41,000

$203,000

Salary Distribution
South Dakota – $95,315Rank: 44th
The average salary ranks 44th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Nigel Frank International and Robert Half Technology.

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$47,000

$159,000

Salary Distribution
Tennessee – $109,830Rank: 31st
The average salary ranks 31st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like TechMinfy Inc., Vaco, Vaco – Memphis, and Global Consulting Company.

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$44,000

$205,000

Salary Distribution
Texas – $119,832Rank: 16th
The average salary ranks 16th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Craftlogic Software LLC, Cisco, Microsoft, and JCPenney.

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$49,000

$221,000

Salary Distribution
Utah – $112,757Rank: 26th
The average salary ranks 26th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Capgemini, Hellickson Associates, TEKsystems, and Parallel HR.

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$43,000

$213,000

Salary Distribution
Virginia – $125,675Rank: 9th
The average salary ranks 9th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like The Wolves, Mason Frank, Foxhound Partners, and General Dynamics Information Technology.

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$51,000

$233,000

Salary Distribution
Vermont – $105,734Rank: 38th
The average salary ranks 38th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Itech US, Inc., Heverwood, Nigel Frank International, and CyberCoders.

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$48,000

$185,000

Salary Distribution
Washington – $122,935Rank: 12th
The average salary ranks 12th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Mason Frank International, Mason Frank, GO2GROUP, and Washington Frank.

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$47,000

$233,000

Salary Distribution
Wisconsin – $113,647Rank: 23rd
The average salary ranks 23rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like At-Tech, Pathfinder Search Group, Saviance Technologies, and Keystone Consulting, Inc..

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$44,000

$215,000

Salary Distribution
West Virginia – $88,812Rank: 47th
The average salary ranks 47th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Conspicuous Ltd, Nigel Frank International, and CyberCoders.

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$24,000

$192,000

Salary Distribution

Top 20 National Employers

According to Indeed.com, the following states had employers looking to hire a Software Architect. The quoted salary figure represents the average salary from all job postings by this employer.

Employer NameLocationAverage Salary
Saicon Software ArchitectKansas$260,000
The Wolves Software ArchitectMaryland$220,000
Parallel Partners Software ArchitectDC$217,643
Epic Force Software ArchitectMassachusetts$200,000
PSG Global Solutions Software ArchitectMissouri$200,000
IBM Software ArchitectDC$187,201
PayPal Software ArchitectCalifornia$184,830
ALTA IT Services, LLC Software ArchitectDC$181,498
The Rembrandt Group LLC Software ArchitectConnecticut$181,156
Finezi Inc. Software ArchitectConnecticut$180,000
Pivotal Labs Inc Software ArchitectNew York$178,143
Craftlogic Software LLC Software ArchitectTexas$177,846
Mason Frank Software ArchitectDC$177,722
Washington Frank Software ArchitectNorth Carolina$177,311
BayOne Solutions Software ArchitectCalifornia$176,580
a2c IT Consulting Software ArchitectPennsylvania$174,752
VMware Software ArchitectCalifornia$173,338

Learn More

Related Careers

Career NameAverage Salary
Data Scientist$130,297
Chief Financial Officer$130,123
Quantitative Analyst$127,870
Investment Banker$125,041
Network Architect$123,709
Chief Information Officer$121,573
Pharmacy Manager$119,896
Cloud Engineer$118,586
IT Security Specialist$113,452
Data Warehouse Engineer$111,007

Henry Steele
Managing Editor
Henry is Managing Editor of BusinessStudent.com. He is a seasoned business professional who regularly consults with local business's throughout Southern California. Henry pursued his undergrad in Business and Economics at the University of San Diego and gained valuable life changing experience through a unique internship upon graduation.

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