Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Chief software architect salary
Average chief software architect salary
$149,131
Understanding Chief Software Architect Salaries
The Chief Software Architect plays a pivotal role in software development and technology direction. As of October 2025, the average salary stands at $149,131 annually. Factors influencing this salary include geographic location, industry, and individual experience levels. In regions like California and New York, salaries are notably higher due to the cost of living and demand for tech talent.
Salary Variations by State
For example, states like Washington and Massachusetts also offer competitive salaries for Chief Software Architects. Here’s a brief overview of average salaries by state:
- California: $160,000
- New York: $155,000
- Washington: $150,000
- Texas: $140,000
The highest-paying industries include technology services, finance, and healthcare. With the ongoing evolution of technology, the demand for skilled Chief Software Architects is expected to grow, offering numerous opportunities for career advancement.
Let Zippia find your next chief software architect job
Let Zippia find your next chief software architect job
Where can a Chief Software Architect earn more?
Chief software architect salary estimates from across the web
Average chief software architect salary by state
The average chief software architect salary in California, Nevada, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average chief software architect salary states are Ohio, Arkansas, and South Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for chief software architects
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $157,883 | $75.91 |
| 2 | Washington | $134,384 | $64.61 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $146,901 | $70.63 |
| 4 | Arizona | $146,746 | $70.55 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $137,005 | $65.87 |
| 6 | Nevada | $153,517 | $73.81 |
| 7 | Oregon | $129,525 | $62.27 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $122,648 | $58.97 |
| 9 | Idaho | $130,603 | $62.79 |
| 10 | Delaware | $125,256 | $60.22 |
| 11 | North Carolina | $125,493 | $60.33 |
| 12 | Texas | $123,369 | $59.31 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $135,959 | $65.36 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $122,702 | $58.99 |
| 15 | Alaska | $136,801 | $65.77 |
| 16 | Virginia | $121,603 | $58.46 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $122,809 | $59.04 |
| 18 | Illinois | $116,708 | $56.11 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $118,259 | $56.86 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $135,498 | $65.14 |
| 21 | Vermont | $114,265 | $54.94 |
| 22 | New York | $119,375 | $57.39 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $114,446 | $55.02 |
| 24 | Kansas | $111,144 | $53.43 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $116,557 | $56.04 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $109,222 | $52.51 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $109,732 | $52.76 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $106,117 | $51.02 |
| 29 | Indiana | $110,459 | $53.11 |
| 30 | Alabama | $109,489 | $52.64 |
| 31 | Georgia | $110,274 | $53.02 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $108,557 | $52.19 |
| 33 | Montana | $106,751 | $51.32 |
| 34 | Maryland | $108,943 | $52.38 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $106,790 | $51.34 |
| 36 | Utah | $101,921 | $49.00 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $107,799 | $51.83 |
| 38 | Florida | $109,870 | $52.82 |
| 39 | Michigan | $105,708 | $50.82 |
| 40 | Maine | $109,390 | $52.59 |
| 41 | Colorado | $105,660 | $50.80 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $105,092 | $50.52 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $100,867 | $48.49 |
| 44 | Iowa | $104,329 | $50.16 |
| 45 | Ohio | $100,303 | $48.22 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $97,484 | $46.87 |
| 47 | Missouri | $100,592 | $48.36 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $95,648 | $45.98 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $94,787 | $45.57 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $95,228 | $45.78 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $92,592 | $44.52 |
Highest paying cities for chief software architects
The highest-paying cities for chief software architects are San Mateo, CA, Scottsdale, AZ, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Mateo, CA | $169,861 | $81.66 |
| 2 | Scottsdale, AZ | $151,325 | $72.75 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $138,778 | $66.72 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $137,349 | $66.03 |
| 5 | Beaverton, OR | $130,985 | $62.97 |
| 6 | Round Rock, TX | $125,846 | $60.50 |
| 7 | McLean, VA | $122,561 | $58.92 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $119,479 | $57.44 |
| 9 | Naperville, IL | $116,796 | $56.15 |
| 10 | Orlando, FL | $111,528 | $53.62 |
| 11 | Farmington Hills, MI | $105,969 | $50.95 |
| 12 | Denver, CO | $105,577 | $50.76 |
| 13 | Columbus, OH | $99,764 | $47.96 |
Chief software architect salary details
A chief software architect's salary ranges from $103,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $215,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a chief software architect's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $215,000 | $17,917 | $103 |
| 75th Percentile | $181,000 | $15,083 | $87 |
| Average | $149,131 | $12,428 | $72 |
| 25th Percentile | $122,000 | $10,167 | $59 |
| 10th Percentile | $103,000 | $8,583 | $50 |
Highest paying chief software architect jobs
The highest paying types of chief software architects are director of software development, software engineering manager, and software development manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Development Manager | $134,747 | $11,229 | $64.78 | 265,464 |
| Software Engineering Manager | $140,929 | $11,744 | $67.75 | 262,296 |
| Principal Software Engineer | $134,230 | $11,186 | $64.53 | 345,893 |
| Software Developer | $87,521 | $7,293 | $42.08 | 294,329 |
| Software Engineer Lead | $125,565 | $10,464 | $60.37 | 342,462 |
| Software Engineer | $100,260 | $8,355 | $48.20 | 339,938 |
Top companies hiring chief software architects now:
Which companies pay chief software architects the most?
Chief software architect salaries at Udemy and iCare are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average chief software architect salary at companies like Nokia and Alcatel Networks Inc are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Udemy | $186,164 | $89.50 |
| 2 | iCare | $163,269 | $78.49 |
| 3 | Nokia | $157,656 | $75.80 |
| 4 | Alcatel Networks Inc | $155,756 | $74.88 |
| 5 | *n/a* | $155,346 | $74.69 |
| 6 | Noom | $155,284 | $74.66 |
| 7 | PierianDx | $155,279 | $74.65 |
| 8 | Piper Companies | $152,785 | $73.45 |
| 9 | Alignment Healthcare | $151,724 | $72.94 |
| 10 | Treasure Data | $147,153 | $70.75 |
| 11 | Peraton | $144,230 | $69.34 |
| 12 | Call Centers India | $140,490 | $67.54 |
| 13 | CACI International | $118,726 | $57.08 |
| 14 | Vencore | $117,174 | $56.33 |
| 15 | L3Harris | $101,931 | $49.01 |
| 16 | Raytheon Technologies | $99,797 | $47.98 |
| 17 | Cyient | $78,927 | $37.95 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Chief Software Architect salary by industry
The average chief software architect salary varies across industries:
- The average chief software architect salary in the start-up industry is $155,821, the highest of any industry.
- The average chief software architect salary in the finance industry is $154,302.
- Chief software architects in the technology industry earn an average salary of $137,432, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for chief software architects
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start-up | $155,821 | $74.91 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $154,302 | $74.18 |
| 3 | Telecommunication | $139,557 | $67.09 |
| 4 | Technology | $137,432 | $66.07 |
High paying chief software architect jobs
Chief software architect salary trends
The average chief software architect salary has risen by $24,412 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average chief software architect earned $124,719 annually, but today, they earn $149,131 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for chief software architects over the last decade.
Compare chief software architect salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average chief software architect salary over time
Compare chief software architect salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Chief software architect salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $149,000 | $71.70 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $144,000 | $69.34 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $141,000 | $67.77 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $138,000 | $66.44 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $135,000 | $64.94 | +1.5% |
Recently added chief software architect salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeppesen | Deputy Chief Software Architect (Senior/Lead) | El Segundo, CA | 06/30/2025 | $172,550 |
| Bae Systems | Business Area Chief Software Architect | Manchester, NH | 06/27/2025 | $150,370 |
| Boeing | Deputy Chief Software Architect (Senior/Lead) | Los Angeles, CA | 06/20/2025 | $172,550 |
| Jeppesen | Chief Software Architect | Berkeley, MO | 05/27/2025 | $156,400 |
| The Boeing Company | Chief Software Architect | Berkeley, MO | 05/22/2025 | $156,400 |
| Boeing | Chief Software Architect | Berkeley, CA | 05/20/2025 | $156,400 |
| Jeppesen | Deputy Chief Software Architect (Senior/Lead) | El Segundo, CA | 03/30/2025 | $172,550 |
| TDI | Head of Software Modernization-Devsecops and Automation | Mount Laurel, NJ | 03/28/2025 | $200,000 |
| Boeing | Deputy Chief Software Architect (Senior/Lead) | Los Angeles, CA | 03/26/2025 | $172,550 |
| TD Bank | Head of Software Modernization-Devsecops and Automation | Mount Laurel, NJ | 03/25/2025 | $200,000 |
Chief software architect salary FAQs
Search for chief software architect jobs