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Best states for a lead software architect
Quoted expert
Dr. Ted Junseok Song
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for lead software architects? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for lead software architect jobs.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for lead software architects. We found that California is the best state in the nation for lead software architects, and people in Pacifica earn the most in the field.
The median salary for lead software architects in California is $145,204. Compare that to the median salary in Louisiana of $90,581, which ranked worst for lead software architects, and you can see how your location is important for your career.If you are currently seeking employment as a lead software architect, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for lead software architects in 2025
1. California
Total lead software architect jobs: 12,905 Average annual salary: $145,204 Lowest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $207,000 Location Quotient: 1.31
2. Washington
Total lead software architect jobs: 4,129 Average annual salary: $126,575 Lowest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $182,000 Location Quotient: 1.68
3. Nevada
Total lead software architect jobs: 809 Average annual salary: $130,000 Lowest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $187,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
4. Vermont
Total lead software architect jobs: 296 Average annual salary: $124,155 Lowest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $164,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
5. Massachusetts
Total lead software architect jobs: 3,399 Average annual salary: $131,272 Lowest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $174,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
6. Rhode Island
Total lead software architect jobs: 758 Average annual salary: $112,986 Lowest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $150,000 Location Quotient: 1.85
7. New Hampshire
Total lead software architect jobs: 707 Average annual salary: $114,373 Lowest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $151,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
8. Utah
Total lead software architect jobs: 1,985 Average annual salary: $109,448 Lowest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $158,000 Location Quotient: 1.85
9. Alaska
Total lead software architect jobs: 318 Average annual salary: $116,962 Lowest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $161,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
10. Oregon
Total lead software architect jobs: 1,564 Average annual salary: $118,218 Lowest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $171,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
Lead software architect jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a lead software architect
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a lead software architect
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $145,204 | $101,000 | 39,536,653 | 12,905 |
| 2 | Washington | $126,575 | $87,000 | 7,405,743 | 4,129 |
| 3 | Nevada | $130,000 | $89,000 | 2,998,039 | 809 |
| 4 | Vermont | $124,155 | $93,000 | 623,657 | 296 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $131,272 | $98,000 | 6,859,819 | 3,399 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $112,986 | $84,000 | 1,059,639 | 758 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $114,373 | $86,000 | 1,342,795 | 707 |
| 8 | Utah | $109,448 | $75,000 | 3,101,833 | 1,985 |
| 9 | Alaska | $116,962 | $84,000 | 739,795 | 318 |
| 10 | Oregon | $118,218 | $81,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,564 |
| 11 | Arizona | $118,989 | $82,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,908 |
| 12 | Delaware | $110,582 | $81,000 | 961,939 | 538 |
| 13 | Idaho | $105,680 | $73,000 | 1,716,943 | 783 |
| 14 | Montana | $106,175 | $75,000 | 1,050,493 | 467 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $115,684 | $85,000 | 693,972 | 813 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $108,913 | $75,000 | 2,088,070 | 628 |
| 17 | Texas | $108,471 | $74,000 | 28,304,596 | 6,778 |
| 18 | New York | $117,478 | $87,000 | 19,849,399 | 3,954 |
| 19 | Ohio | $103,017 | $76,000 | 11,658,609 | 3,456 |
| 20 | Maryland | $116,060 | $85,000 | 6,052,177 | 2,179 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $102,365 | $72,000 | 579,315 | 231 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $111,212 | $80,000 | 5,024,369 | 675 |
| 23 | Colorado | $103,758 | $73,000 | 5,607,154 | 2,291 |
| 24 | Virginia | $104,570 | $77,000 | 8,470,020 | 3,351 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $101,088 | $73,000 | 1,920,076 | 718 |
| 26 | Maine | $103,479 | $78,000 | 1,335,907 | 342 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $105,691 | $78,000 | 9,005,644 | 2,614 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $97,816 | $72,000 | 12,805,537 | 4,470 |
| 29 | Michigan | $100,954 | $75,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,930 |
| 30 | Connecticut | $101,869 | $76,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,196 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $100,475 | $74,000 | 1,815,857 | 300 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $100,421 | $71,000 | 3,930,864 | 721 |
| 33 | Georgia | $99,685 | $71,000 | 10,429,379 | 3,263 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $101,029 | $75,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,824 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $95,896 | $70,000 | 869,666 | 344 |
| 36 | Missouri | $100,580 | $73,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,348 |
| 37 | Indiana | $96,479 | $71,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,834 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $97,567 | $68,000 | 2,984,100 | 275 |
| 39 | Iowa | $96,408 | $71,000 | 3,145,711 | 892 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $92,722 | $69,000 | 755,393 | 296 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $87,527 | $66,000 | 1,427,538 | 353 |
| 42 | Illinois | $92,837 | $69,000 | 12,802,023 | 4,352 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $87,568 | $62,000 | 3,004,279 | 982 |
| 44 | Kansas | $88,799 | $64,000 | 2,913,123 | 1,107 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $92,716 | $68,000 | 4,454,189 | 845 |
| 46 | Florida | $92,660 | $61,000 | 20,984,400 | 4,330 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $90,831 | $66,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,770 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $90,701 | $66,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,066 |
| 49 | Alabama | $90,143 | $64,000 | 4,874,747 | 1,064 |
| 50 | Wisconsin | $89,427 | $67,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,383 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $90,581 | $62,000 | 4,684,333 | 583 |
Highest paying states for lead software architects
| Rank | State | Avg. Lead Software Architect Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $145,204 |
| 2 | Washington | $126,575 |
| 3 | Nevada | $130,000 |
| 4 | Vermont | $124,155 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $131,272 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $112,986 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $114,373 |
| 8 | Utah | $109,448 |
| 9 | Alaska | $116,962 |
| 10 | Oregon | $118,218 |
| 11 | Arizona | $118,989 |
| 12 | Delaware | $110,582 |
| 13 | Idaho | $105,680 |
| 14 | Montana | $106,175 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $115,684 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $108,913 |
| 17 | Texas | $108,471 |
| 18 | New York | $117,478 |
| 19 | Ohio | $103,017 |
| 20 | Maryland | $116,060 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $102,365 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $111,212 |
| 23 | Colorado | $103,758 |
| 24 | Virginia | $104,570 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $101,088 |
| 26 | Maine | $103,479 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $105,691 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $97,816 |
| 29 | Michigan | $100,954 |
| 30 | Connecticut | $101,869 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $100,475 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $100,421 |
| 33 | Georgia | $99,685 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $101,029 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $95,896 |
| 36 | Missouri | $100,580 |
| 37 | Indiana | $96,479 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $97,567 |
| 39 | Iowa | $96,408 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $92,722 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $87,527 |
| 42 | Illinois | $92,837 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $87,568 |
| 44 | Kansas | $88,799 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $92,716 |
| 46 | Florida | $92,660 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $90,831 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $90,701 |
| 49 | Alabama | $90,143 |
| 50 | Wisconsin | $89,427 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $90,581 |
Expert opinions on the best states for lead software architects
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for lead software architects to find work opportunities?
Dr. Ted Junseok Song
Associate Professor of Engineering, John Brown University
Due to COVID-19, people have more choices on location as more companies allow their employees to work remotely.
Lead software architect best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025