Software Architect

Software Architect Salary

$79K

$206K

$174,017

/year

$83.66

/hour

Software Architect Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$174,017

Columbus

Ohio

$168,083

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    How much does a Software Architect make?

    As of Aug 22, 2026, the average annual pay for a Software Architect in the United States is $174,017 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $83.66 an hour. This is the equivalent of $3,346/week or $14,501/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $206,000 and as low as $79,000, the majority of Software Architect salaries currently range between $141,500 (25th percentile) to $205,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $205,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Software Architect varies little (about 63500), which suggests that regardless of location, there are not many opportunities for increased pay or advancement, even with several years of experience.

    A Software Architect in your area makes on average $168,083 per year, or $5,934 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $174,017. Ohio ranks number 31 out of 50 states nationwide for Software Architect salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Software Architect jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as a Software Architect on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Software Architect Jobs

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Software Architect job is above the national average. Topping the list is Corte Madera, CA, , with Cupertino, CA, and Berkeley, CA, close behind in the second and third positions. Berkeley, CA, beats the national average by $39,056 (22.4%), and Corte Madera, CA, furthers that trend with another $42,159 (24.2%) above the $174,017 average.

    With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Software Architect appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 5% between Corte Madera, CA, and San Jose, CA, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Software Architect role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Corte Madera, CA

    $216,176

    $103.93

    Cupertino, CA

    $214,692

    $103.22

    Berkeley, CA

    $213,073

    $102.44

    Redwood City, CA

    $213,058

    $102.43

    Sitka, AK

    $209,634

    $100.79

    Wyoming, WY

    $207,537

    $99.78

    Palo Alto, CA

    $205,077

    $98.59

    San Francisco Metro Area, CA

    $205,022

    $98.57

    San Francisco, CA

    $205,022

    $98.57

    San Jose, CA

    $204,488

    $98.31

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Software Architect Jobs in the U.S.

    Analyzing some similar jobs related to the Software Architect job category, we found that Senior Integration Architect jobs have average salaries similar than Software Architect jobs.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Senior Integration Architect

    $150,425

    $72.32

    Oracle Architect

    $118,100

    $56.78

    Nice Software Solutions

    $111,845

    $53.77

    Jr Software Developer

    $88,976

    $42.78

    Environmental Architecture

    $67,073

    $32.25

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Software Architect salary across the United States as of August 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $174,017 per year or $83.66 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.