Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Lead software architect salary
Average lead software architect salary
$123,577
Understanding the Lead Software Architect Salary
The average salary for a Lead Software Architect in the United States is approximately $123,577 annually, translating to around $59 per hour. This compensation reflects the high demand for skilled architects who can design complex software solutions. Salaries vary widely based on factors such as geographic location, industry, and individual experience.
In states like California and New York, salaries tend to be higher due to the concentration of tech companies and higher living costs. In addition to base salaries, many lead software architects receive bonuses, stock options, and other incentives, further enhancing their earning potential. This page provides a detailed breakdown of average salaries by state and insights into the highest paying positions in the field.
For those aspiring to become Lead Software Architects, acquiring experience in software development, cloud technologies, and team leadership can significantly impact salary growth. Continuous learning and networking within the industry can also open doors to advanced opportunities, allowing professionals to enhance their career trajectory in this competitive field.
Let Zippia find your next lead software architect job
Let Zippia find your next lead software architect job
Where can a Lead Software Architect earn more?
Lead software architect salary estimates from across the web
Average lead software architect salary by state
The average lead software architect salary in California, Massachusetts, and Nevada are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average lead software architect salary states are Louisiana, Alabama, and Wisconsin.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for lead software architects
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $145,204 | $69.81 |
| 2 | Washington | $126,575 | $60.85 |
| 3 | Nevada | $130,000 | $62.50 |
| 4 | Vermont | $124,155 | $59.69 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $131,272 | $63.11 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $112,986 | $54.32 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $114,373 | $54.99 |
| 8 | Utah | $109,448 | $52.62 |
| 9 | Alaska | $116,962 | $56.23 |
| 10 | Oregon | $118,218 | $56.84 |
| 11 | Arizona | $118,989 | $57.21 |
| 12 | Delaware | $110,582 | $53.16 |
| 13 | Idaho | $105,680 | $50.81 |
| 14 | Montana | $106,175 | $51.05 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $115,684 | $55.62 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $108,913 | $52.36 |
| 17 | Texas | $108,471 | $52.15 |
| 18 | New York | $117,478 | $56.48 |
| 19 | Ohio | $103,017 | $49.53 |
| 20 | Maryland | $116,060 | $55.80 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $102,365 | $49.21 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $111,212 | $53.47 |
| 23 | Colorado | $103,758 | $49.88 |
| 24 | Virginia | $104,570 | $50.27 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $101,088 | $48.60 |
| 26 | Maine | $103,479 | $49.75 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $105,691 | $50.81 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $97,816 | $47.03 |
| 29 | Michigan | $100,954 | $48.54 |
| 30 | Connecticut | $101,869 | $48.98 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $100,475 | $48.31 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $100,421 | $48.28 |
| 33 | Georgia | $99,685 | $47.93 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $101,029 | $48.57 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $95,896 | $46.10 |
| 36 | Missouri | $100,580 | $48.36 |
| 37 | Indiana | $96,479 | $46.38 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $97,567 | $46.91 |
| 39 | Iowa | $96,408 | $46.35 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $92,722 | $44.58 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $87,527 | $42.08 |
| 42 | Illinois | $92,837 | $44.63 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $87,568 | $42.10 |
| 44 | Kansas | $88,799 | $42.69 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $92,716 | $44.58 |
| 46 | Florida | $92,660 | $44.55 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $90,831 | $43.67 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $90,701 | $43.61 |
| 49 | Alabama | $90,143 | $43.34 |
| 50 | Wisconsin | $89,427 | $42.99 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $90,581 | $43.55 |
Highest paying cities for lead software architects
The highest-paying cities for lead software architects are San Francisco, CA, Boston, MA, and Las Vegas, NV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $156,025 | $75.01 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $131,386 | $63.17 |
| 3 | Las Vegas, NV | $129,414 | $62.22 |
| 4 | Bellevue, WA | $127,486 | $61.29 |
| 5 | Scottsdale, AZ | $119,479 | $57.44 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $117,594 | $56.54 |
| 7 | Austin, TX | $108,900 | $52.36 |
| 8 | Arlington, VA | $105,972 | $50.95 |
| 9 | Littleton, CO | $103,845 | $49.93 |
| 10 | Manchester, CT | $102,098 | $49.09 |
| 11 | Minneapolis, MN | $101,156 | $48.63 |
| 12 | Saint Charles, MO | $100,634 | $48.38 |
| 13 | Alpharetta, GA | $99,958 | $48.06 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $98,472 | $47.34 |
| 15 | Tampa, FL | $94,531 | $45.45 |
| 16 | Chicago, IL | $92,963 | $44.69 |
| 17 | Charlotte, NC | $90,071 | $43.30 |
| 18 | Overland Park, KS | $88,695 | $42.64 |
Lead software architect salary details
A lead software architect's salary ranges from $89,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $170,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a lead software architect's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $170,000 | $14,167 | $82 |
| 75th Percentile | $146,000 | $12,167 | $70 |
| Average | $123,577 | $10,298 | $59 |
| 25th Percentile | $104,000 | $8,667 | $50 |
| 10th Percentile | $89,000 | $7,417 | $43 |
Highest paying lead software architect jobs
The highest paying types of lead software architects are principal software engineer, software engineer lead, and senior systems software engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architect And Developer | $110,970 | $9,248 | $53.35 | 316,181 |
| Software Engineer-Consultant | $113,987 | $9,499 | $54.80 | 317,033 |
| 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 lead software architects now:
Which companies pay lead software architects the most?
Lead software architect salaries at The Walt Disney Company and DocuSign are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average lead software architect salary at companies like MySpace NYC and American Gaming Association are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Walt Disney Company | $169,633 | $81.55 |
| 2 | DocuSign | $157,301 | $75.63 |
| 3 | MySpace NYC | $151,155 | $72.67 |
| 4 | American Gaming Association | $137,405 | $66.06 |
| 5 | Motion Recruitment | $135,741 | $65.26 |
| 6 | ALO | $133,228 | $64.05 |
| 7 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $132,709 | $63.80 |
| 8 | The Plum Tree Group | $131,396 | $63.17 |
| 9 | Arvato | $130,453 | $62.72 |
| 10 | Looking Glass Factory | $130,373 | $62.68 |
| 11 | Derive | $130,217 | $62.60 |
| 12 | Sentient Energy | $130,042 | $62.52 |
| 13 | Level 3 Audiovisual | $129,910 | $62.46 |
| 14 | Happiest Baby | $129,799 | $62.40 |
| 15 | Innovative Web Svc | $129,730 | $62.37 |
| 16 | Kipsu | $129,730 | $62.37 |
| 17 | Catalyst Resources | $129,730 | $62.37 |
| 18 | J & T Inc | $129,730 | $62.37 |
| 19 | Meissner Filtration Products | $129,730 | $62.37 |
| 20 | Mackenzie Group Inc | $129,730 | $62.37 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Lead software architect salary trends
The average lead software architect salary has risen by $22,942 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average lead software architect earned $100,635 annually, but today, they earn $123,577 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for lead software architects over the last decade.
Compare lead software architect salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average lead software architect salary over time
Compare lead software architect salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Lead software architect salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $124,000 | $59.41 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $120,000 | $57.45 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $117,000 | $56.15 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $115,000 | $55.16 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $113,000 | $54.24 | +1.8% |
Recently added lead software architect salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeppesen | Lead Software Architect Engineer | Hazelwood, MO | 06/30/2025 | $161,500 |
| Boeing | Lead Software Architect Engineer | Hazelwood, MO | 06/26/2025 | $161,500 |
| Industrial Light & Magic | Lead Software Architect, Ad Platforms | Glendale, CA | 06/20/2025 | $152,200 |
| Tagup | Lead Software Architect | Boston, MA | 06/11/2025 | $170,000 |
| MacKenzie Health Care | Lead Software Architect | San Jose, CA | 06/10/2025 | $125,000 |
| Search | Software Architect Lead | Chantilly, VA | 06/09/2025 | $140,400 |
| The Walt Disney Company | Lead Software Architect, Ad Platforms | Glendale, CA | 06/07/2025 | $152,200 |
| Boeing | Lead Software Architect Engineer | Hazelwood, MO | 05/28/2025 | $161,500 |
| Search | Software Architect Lead | Chantilly, VA | 05/26/2025 | $140,400 |
| EVIO Labs | Lead Software Architect | Denver, CO | 05/16/2025 | $165,000 |
Lead software architect salary FAQs
Search for lead software architect jobs