How To Become A Chief Software Architect: What It Is and Career Path

What is a chief software architect and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted experts

Craig Tidwell Ph.D.,

Christian Hansen Ph.D.

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a chief software architect. For example, did you know that they make an average of $71.7 an hour? That's $149,131 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 21% and produce 284,100 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a chief software architect?

Craig Tidwell Ph.D.

Professor/Program Manager, Seminole State College of Florida

Students who are graduating with a degree in computer and information systems should focus on being lifelong learners. The most challenging, and sometimes frustrating, aspect of a career in information technology is that it is always changing. Employers are also looking for employees that can work well with others, especially in teams. Having a good understanding of the development and design process, and project management (DevOps) is a plus. Currently, there is a high demand for graduates with cloud and information security knowledge and skills.

ScoreChief Software ArchitectUS Average

Salary

8.9

Avg. Salary $149,131

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.9

Growth rate 21%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%

Asian 11.99%

Black or African American 6.24%

Hispanic or Latino 8.82%

Unknown 4.70%

White 67.73%

Gender

female 4.35%

male 95.65%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress level

5.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.3

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a chief software architect

Explore chief software architect education requirements

Most common chief software architect degrees

Bachelor's

67.9 %

Master's

19.3 %

Doctorate

5.5 %

Start to develop specific chief software architect skills

Skills	Percentages
Java	13.75%
Cloud	8.05%
Software Development	7.29%
Python	6.85%
Web Services	3.91%

Complete relevant chief software architect training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New chief software architects learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a chief software architect based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real chief software architect resumes.

Research chief software architect duties and responsibilities

Design the API and lead multiple programming teams that write the game software suites.
Lead the organization through the change process to shift from self-host architectures to next generation SaaS architectures.
Lead large-scale agile and lean software development including engineering, testing, program management, DevOps and live site operations.
Cloud stores self update system.

Prepare your chief software architect resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your chief software architect resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a chief software architect resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable chief software architect resume templates

Build a professional chief software architect resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your chief software architect resume.

Apply for chief software architect jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a chief software architect job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do chief software architects rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Chief software architect reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2022

Pros

Able to see ideation to fruition and achieve success together as a team.

Cons

If company is not supportive of new technology advancement.

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2019