Software Architect
Software Architect Salary
$79K - $90.5K
2% of jobs
$90.5K - $102K
2% of jobs
$102K - $113.5K
3% of jobs
$113.5K - $125K
7% of jobs
$125K - $136.5K
9% of jobs
$138.8K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$136.5K - $148K
10% of jobs
$148K - $159.5K
8% of jobs
$159.5K - $171K
6% of jobs
The median wage is $178.1K / yr.
$171K - $182.5K
6% of jobs
$182.5K - $194K
2% of jobs
$199.2K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$194K - $205.5K
46% of jobs
$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 31, 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 Palo Alto, 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 |
Mountain View, CA | $205,284 | $98.69 |
San Francisco Metro Area, CA | $205,022 | $98.57 |
San Francisco, CA | $205,022 | $98.57 |
Palo Alto, CA | $204,797 | $98.46 |
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 Chief Underwriting Officer jobs have average salaries greater than Software Architect jobs.
Significantly, Chief Underwriting Officer jobs pay $18,820 (10.8%) more than the average Software Architect salary of $174,017. If you're qualified, finding work as a Chief Underwriting Officer may help you make more money than that of the average Software Architect position.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Chief Underwriting Officer | $192,837 | $92.71 |
Chief Client Officer | $166,511 | $80.05 |
Rf Electrical Engineer | $111,091 | $53.41 |
Associate Wealth Management Advisor | $67,157 | $32.29 |
30K | $38,447 | $18.48 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
