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Senior software architect salary
Average senior software architect salary
$129,435
Comprehensive Overview of Senior Software Architect Salaries
In October 2025, the average salary for a Senior Software Architect in the United States stands at $129,435 annually. This figure reflects the demand for skilled professionals capable of designing innovative software systems that meet business needs. Salaries for this position can vary significantly based on several factors, including geographic location, industry, and years of experience.
For instance, states like California and New York often offer the highest salaries for senior software architects, primarily due to the concentration of tech companies and the cost of living. In addition, industries such as finance, healthcare, and technology typically provide more competitive compensation packages.
As companies increasingly rely on technology, the demand for senior software architects is expected to grow. This role not only involves technical expertise but also requires strong leadership and communication skills to guide teams in project execution.
Where to Find Opportunities
Job seekers can explore various platforms to find senior software architect positions, including job boards like Zippia. Understanding salary trends and the factors influencing pay can help candidates negotiate effectively and make informed career choices.
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Where can a Senior Software Architect earn more?
Senior software architect salary estimates from across the web
Average senior software architect salary by state
The average senior software architect salary in California, Oregon, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average senior software architect salary states are Nebraska, Florida, and South Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior software architects
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $138,506 | $66.59 |
| 2 | Washington | $138,118 | $66.40 |
| 3 | California | $145,742 | $70.07 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $130,236 | $62.61 |
| 5 | Utah | $119,218 | $57.32 |
| 6 | Delaware | $121,030 | $58.19 |
| 7 | Arizona | $122,943 | $59.11 |
| 8 | New York | $125,132 | $60.16 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $121,026 | $58.19 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $112,782 | $54.22 |
| 11 | Alaska | $124,282 | $59.75 |
| 12 | Nevada | $117,110 | $56.30 |
| 13 | Vermont | $113,917 | $54.77 |
| 14 | Idaho | $115,670 | $55.61 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $118,959 | $57.19 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $115,298 | $55.43 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $111,696 | $53.70 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $115,503 | $55.53 |
| 19 | Texas | $112,026 | $53.86 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $112,099 | $53.89 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $109,988 | $52.88 |
| 22 | Iowa | $110,246 | $53.00 |
| 23 | Virginia | $108,800 | $52.31 |
| 24 | Michigan | $108,583 | $52.20 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $109,197 | $52.50 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $110,656 | $53.20 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $110,421 | $53.09 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $104,932 | $50.45 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $104,044 | $50.02 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $103,019 | $49.53 |
| 31 | Maryland | $104,132 | $50.06 |
| 32 | Ohio | $103,628 | $49.82 |
| 33 | Colorado | $105,328 | $50.64 |
| 34 | Maine | $106,851 | $51.37 |
| 35 | Illinois | $103,699 | $49.86 |
| 36 | Montana | $100,873 | $48.50 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $100,213 | $48.18 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $103,746 | $49.88 |
| 39 | Minnesota | $102,414 | $49.24 |
| 40 | Georgia | $100,293 | $48.22 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $103,068 | $49.55 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $103,736 | $49.87 |
| 43 | Kansas | $97,978 | $47.10 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $99,648 | $47.91 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $95,479 | $45.90 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $96,452 | $46.37 |
| 47 | Florida | $92,696 | $44.57 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $92,578 | $44.51 |
| 49 | Indiana | $92,187 | $44.32 |
| 50 | Alabama | $92,423 | $44.43 |
| 51 | Missouri | $89,029 | $42.80 |
Highest paying cities for senior software architects
The highest-paying cities for senior software architects are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $157,290 | $75.62 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $140,215 | $67.41 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $125,455 | $60.31 |
| 4 | Phoenix, AZ | $123,303 | $59.28 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $121,102 | $58.22 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $119,025 | $57.22 |
| 7 | Las Vegas, NV | $116,505 | $56.01 |
| 8 | Jersey City, NJ | $115,427 | $55.49 |
| 9 | Austin, TX | $112,535 | $54.10 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $112,344 | $54.01 |
| 11 | Reston, VA | $109,613 | $52.70 |
| 12 | Ann Arbor, MI | $108,474 | $52.15 |
| 13 | Boulder, CO | $105,488 | $50.72 |
| 14 | Durham, NC | $104,064 | $50.03 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $104,062 | $50.03 |
| 16 | Alpharetta, GA | $100,916 | $48.52 |
| 17 | Tampa, FL | $94,540 | $45.45 |
Senior software architect salary details
A senior software architect's salary ranges from $93,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $178,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior software architect's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $178,000 | $14,833 | $86 |
| 75th Percentile | $153,000 | $12,750 | $74 |
| Average | $129,435 | $10,786 | $62 |
| 25th Percentile | $109,000 | $9,083 | $52 |
| 10th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
Highest paying senior software architect jobs
The highest paying types of senior software architects are senior solutions architect, senior systems software engineer, and senior software development engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Design Engineer | $98,799 | $8,233 | $47.50 | 315,080 |
| Software Engineer-Consultant | $113,987 | $9,499 | $54.80 | 317,033 |
| Software Developer | $87,521 | $7,293 | $42.08 | 294,329 |
| Software Engineer | $100,260 | $8,355 | $48.20 | 339,938 |
| Lead Software Developer | $115,072 | $9,589 | $55.32 | 309,029 |
| Architect | $86,635 | $7,220 | $41.65 | 94,621 |
Top companies hiring senior software architects now:
Which companies pay senior software architects the most?
Senior software architect salaries at Netflix and Apple are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior software architect salary at companies like Uber Technologies and Dotdash are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netflix | $193,017 | $92.80 |
| 2 | Apple | $184,115 | $88.52 |
| 3 | Uber Technologies | $183,915 | $88.42 |
| 4 | Dotdash | $183,577 | $88.26 |
| 5 | NVIDIA | $183,085 | $88.02 |
| 6 | Bloomberg | $178,041 | $85.60 |
| 7 | Walmart | $177,620 | $85.39 |
| 8 | Box | $176,134 | $84.68 |
| 9 | McKinsey & Company Inc | $175,452 | $84.35 |
| 10 | Amazon | $167,374 | $80.47 |
| 11 | Hearst | $167,043 | $80.31 |
| 12 | Cadence Design Systems | $165,545 | $79.59 |
| 13 | Corsair | $164,921 | $79.29 |
| 14 | Hulu | $164,723 | $79.19 |
| 15 | Carbonite | $164,317 | $79.00 |
| 16 | FedBid | $163,768 | $78.73 |
| 17 | Shutterfly | $161,434 | $77.61 |
| 18 | CarGurus | $160,337 | $77.09 |
| 19 | Ford Motor | $159,560 | $76.71 |
| 20 | BorgWarner | $155,658 | $74.84 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior Software Architect salary by industry
The average senior software architect salary varies across industries:
- The average senior software architect salary in the internet industry is $141,317, the highest of any industry.
- The average senior software architect salary in the finance industry is $138,029.
- Senior software architects in the finance industry earn an average salary of $107,879, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for senior software architects
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Internet | $141,317 | $67.94 |
| 2 | Professional | $138,029 | $66.36 |
| 3 | Automotive | $136,429 | $65.59 |
| 4 | Telecommunication | $135,608 | $65.20 |
| 5 | Start-up | $134,833 | $64.82 |
| 6 | Technology | $130,440 | $62.71 |
| 7 | Health Care | $122,543 | $58.91 |
| 8 | Finance | $107,879 | $51.86 |
High paying senior software architect jobs
Senior software architect salary trends
The average senior software architect salary has risen by $24,029 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior software architect earned $105,406 annually, but today, they earn $129,435 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for senior software architects over the last decade.
Compare senior software architect salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior software architect salary over time
Compare senior software architect salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior software architect salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $129,000 | $62.23 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $125,000 | $60.18 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $122,000 | $58.82 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $120,000 | $57.78 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $118,000 | $56.81 | +1.8% |
Recently added senior software architect salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeppesen | Simulation Software Senior Architect | El Segundo, CA | 06/30/2025 | $171,000 |
| ZP Group | Senior Software Architect | Chantilly, VA | 06/29/2025 | $150,000 |
| Maersk | Senior Software Solutions Architect | Florham Park, NJ | 06/27/2025 | $230,000 |
| Silicon Laboratories | Senior Staff Software Architect | Boston, MA | 06/25/2025 | $135,800 |
| Bectran, Inc. | Senior Software Architect | Schaumburg, IL | 06/25/2025 | $160,000 |
| Leidos Holdings Inc. | Senior Software Systems Architect | San Diego, CA | 06/24/2025 | $104,650 |
| Maersk (A.K.A A P Moller | Senior Software Solutions Architect | Florham Park, NJ | 06/24/2025 | $230,000 |
| Cabinetworks Group | Senior Software Architect | Livonia, MI | 06/22/2025 | $145,000 |
| Arm | Senior Software-Networking for AI | Austin, TX | 06/19/2025 | $156,500 |
| Boeing | Simulation Software Senior Architect | Los Angeles, CA | 06/17/2025 | $171,000 |
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