Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Software engineer/architect salary
Average software engineer/architect salary
$117,739
Average Software Engineer/Architect Salary
The average salary for a Software Engineer/Architect is $117,739 per year, which translates to about $57 per hour. Salaries in this field can vary significantly based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and specific industry sectors. For instance, Software Engineers in tech hubs like Silicon Valley often command higher salaries compared to those in less populated areas.
Average Salary by State
When examining salaries by state, states like California and Washington offer some of the highest compensation packages, reflecting the demand for skilled professionals in these regions. Additionally, states like Texas and New York provide competitive salaries, making them attractive options for Software Engineers looking to advance their careers.
Career Opportunities
Beyond salary, opportunities for growth in this field are vast. As technology evolves, the demand for Software Engineers and Architects continues to rise, with many companies offering benefits such as remote work options and flexible hours. Understanding the salary dynamics and potential job openings can help candidates make informed decisions about their career paths.
Let Zippi find your next software engineer/architect job
Let Zippi find your next software engineer/architect job
Where can a Software Engineer/Architect earn more?
Average software engineer/architect salary by state
The average software engineer/architect salary in California, Washington, and Nevada are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average software engineer/architect salary states are Arkansas, Kansas, and North Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for software engineers/architect
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $132,808 | $63.85 |
| 2 | California | $147,499 | $70.91 |
| 3 | North Carolina | $126,901 | $61.01 |
| 4 | Oregon | $122,408 | $58.85 |
| 5 | Vermont | $121,013 | $58.18 |
| 6 | Nevada | $130,099 | $62.55 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $121,581 | $58.45 |
| 8 | Utah | $111,782 | $53.74 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $129,075 | $62.06 |
| 10 | Indiana | $122,512 | $58.90 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $114,400 | $55.00 |
| 12 | Delaware | $113,342 | $54.49 |
| 13 | New York | $122,165 | $58.73 |
| 14 | Georgia | $114,618 | $55.10 |
| 15 | Maryland | $119,489 | $57.45 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $113,906 | $54.76 |
| 17 | South Carolina | $121,153 | $58.25 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $109,306 | $52.55 |
| 19 | Texas | $106,868 | $51.38 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $110,945 | $53.34 |
| 21 | Arizona | $108,134 | $51.99 |
| 22 | Illinois | $107,343 | $51.61 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $105,812 | $50.87 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $105,634 | $50.79 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $101,826 | $48.95 |
| 26 | Idaho | $103,065 | $49.55 |
| 27 | Florida | $107,964 | $51.91 |
| 28 | Colorado | $103,838 | $49.92 |
| 29 | Montana | $102,214 | $49.14 |
| 30 | Connecticut | $103,381 | $49.70 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $104,112 | $50.05 |
| 32 | New Jersey | $103,696 | $49.85 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $101,931 | $49.01 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $103,559 | $49.79 |
| 35 | Missouri | $103,276 | $49.65 |
| 36 | Maine | $101,079 | $48.60 |
| 37 | Michigan | $99,655 | $47.91 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $99,442 | $47.81 |
| 39 | Virginia | $96,693 | $46.49 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $97,844 | $47.04 |
| 41 | Iowa | $97,742 | $46.99 |
| 42 | Alabama | $96,646 | $46.46 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $89,890 | $43.22 |
| 44 | Minnesota | $92,327 | $44.39 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $91,420 | $43.95 |
| 46 | Ohio | $95,307 | $45.82 |
| 47 | Alaska | $89,087 | $42.83 |
| 48 | Kansas | $90,775 | $43.64 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $95,437 | $45.88 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $85,516 | $41.11 |
| 51 | Wisconsin | $89,782 | $43.16 |
Highest paying cities for software engineers/architect
The highest-paying cities for software engineers/architect are Redwood City, CA, Seattle, WA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redwood City, CA | $154,010 | $74.04 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $133,356 | $64.11 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $129,122 | $62.08 |
| 4 | Raleigh, NC | $127,720 | $61.40 |
| 5 | Indianapolis, IN | $122,699 | $58.99 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $122,570 | $58.93 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $121,679 | $58.50 |
| 8 | Annapolis, MD | $119,886 | $57.64 |
| 9 | Alpharetta, GA | $114,426 | $55.01 |
| 10 | Dover, DE | $113,618 | $54.62 |
| 11 | Concord, NH | $113,367 | $54.50 |
| 12 | Phoenix, AZ | $108,331 | $52.08 |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | $107,484 | $51.67 |
| 14 | Austin, TX | $107,192 | $51.53 |
| 15 | Saint Louis, MO | $103,993 | $50.00 |
| 16 | Middletown, NJ | $103,898 | $49.95 |
| 17 | Lakewood, CO | $103,779 | $49.89 |
| 18 | Hartford, CT | $103,259 | $49.64 |
| 19 | Tulsa, OK | $102,951 | $49.50 |
| 20 | Helena, MT | $102,938 | $49.49 |
Software engineer/architect salary details
A software engineer/architect's salary ranges from $85,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $162,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a software engineer/architect's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $162,000 | $13,500 | $78 |
| 75th Percentile | $139,000 | $11,583 | $67 |
| Average | $117,739 | $9,812 | $57 |
| 25th Percentile | $99,000 | $8,250 | $48 |
| 10th Percentile | $85,000 | $7,083 | $41 |
Highest paying software engineer/architect jobs
The highest paying types of software engineers/architect are staff software engineer, principal software engineer, and software engineer lead.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $87,521 | $7,293 | $42.08 | 294,329 |
| Lead Architect | $104,687 | $8,724 | $50.33 | 266,541 |
| Software Development Engineer | $109,147 | $9,096 | $52.47 | 356,971 |
| Principal Software Engineer | $134,230 | $11,186 | $64.53 | 345,893 |
| Embedded Software Engineer | $102,143 | $8,512 | $49.11 | 171,613 |
| Software Systems Engineer | $107,102 | $8,925 | $51.49 | 370,518 |
Top companies hiring software engineers/architect now:
Which companies pay software engineers/architect the most?
Software engineer/architect salaries at Apple and Zscaler are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average software engineer/architect salary at companies like Medallia and VMware are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $154,388 | $74.22 |
| 2 | Zscaler | $151,539 | $72.86 |
| 3 | Medallia | $147,276 | $70.81 |
| 4 | VMware | $146,598 | $70.48 |
| 5 | Walmart | $146,284 | $70.33 |
| 6 | Move | $146,152 | $70.27 |
| 7 | Cisco | $143,860 | $69.16 |
| 8 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $141,263 | $67.91 |
| 9 | Amazon | $141,110 | $67.84 |
| 10 | Gluster | $140,433 | $67.52 |
| 11 | Costco Wholesale | $140,296 | $67.45 |
| 12 | J.P. Morgan | $138,958 | $66.81 |
| 13 | Slalom | $136,316 | $65.54 |
| 14 | Volvo Trucks | $134,546 | $64.69 |
| 15 | Ford Motor | $134,352 | $64.59 |
| 16 | CyberCoders | $132,252 | $63.58 |
| 17 | McKinsey & Company Inc | $132,213 | $63.56 |
| 18 | Cadence Design Systems | $132,109 | $63.51 |
| 19 | Violin Memory | $131,342 | $63.15 |
| 20 | Amd | $131,149 | $63.05 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Software engineer/architect salary trends
The average software engineer/architect salary has risen by $21,858 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average software engineer/architect earned $95,881 annually, but today, they earn $117,739 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for software engineers/architect over the last decade.
Compare software engineer/architect salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average software engineer/architect salary over time
Compare software engineer/architect salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Software engineer/architect salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $118,000 | $56.61 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $114,000 | $54.74 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $111,000 | $53.50 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $109,000 | $52.56 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $107,000 | $51.67 | +1.8% |
Recently added software engineer/architect salaries
Software engineer/architect salary FAQs
Search for software engineer/architect jobs