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Software engineer/architect hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring software engineers/architect in the United States:
Here's a step-by-step software engineer/architect hiring guide:
A software engineer/architect specializes in designing and developing applications and software systems in a company, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities include understanding and identifying project requirements, conducting extensive research and analysis, managing software development teams, setting objectives and guidelines, preparing and maintaining documentation, developing test structures, eliminating bugs, and creating strategies to optimize operations. Moreover, a software engineer/architect must lead and encourage teams to reach goals, all while monitoring their progress and resolving issues should any arise.
First, determine the employments status of the software engineer/architect you need to hire. Certain software engineer/architect roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.
A software engineer/architect's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, software engineers/architect from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.
This list presents software engineer/architect salaries for various positions.
| Type of Software Engineer/Architect | Description | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer/Architect | Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another device... Show more | $40-77 |
| Software Developer | A software developer is responsible for designing application systems to support the user and business' needs. Duties of a software developer include testing software codes, performing diagnostic programs and troubleshooting, interpreting system data and establishing efficient parameters, and ensuring the compatibility of the systems... Show more | $32-54 |
| Lead Architect | A lead architect spearheads architectural operations while maintaining an active communication line with clients. They typically meet with clients to discuss the project's needs and specifications, agree on a budget, provide advice and recommendations, and negotiate contracts... Show more | $37-66 |
Including a salary range in your software engineer/architect job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A software engineer/architect salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.
For example, the average salary for a software engineer/architect in Arkansas may be lower than in California, and an entry-level software engineer/architect usually earns less than a senior-level software engineer/architect. Additionally, a software engineer/architect with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $154,010 | $74 |
| 2 | Washington | $133,356 | $64 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $129,122 | $62 |
| 4 | North Carolina | $127,720 | $61 |
| 5 | Indiana | $122,699 | $59 |
| 6 | New York | $122,570 | $59 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $121,679 | $59 |
| 8 | Maryland | $119,886 | $58 |
| 9 | Georgia | $114,426 | $55 |
| 10 | Delaware | $113,618 | $55 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $113,367 | $55 |
| 12 | Arizona | $108,331 | $52 |
| 13 | Illinois | $107,484 | $52 |
| 14 | Texas | $107,192 | $52 |
| 15 | Missouri | $103,993 | $50 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $103,898 | $50 |
| 17 | Colorado | $103,779 | $50 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $103,259 | $50 |
| 19 | Oklahoma | $102,951 | $50 |
| 20 | Montana | $102,938 | $49 |
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $154,388 | $74.22 | 615 |
| 2 | Zscaler | $151,539 | $72.86 | 26 |
| 3 | Medallia | $147,276 | $70.81 | |
| 4 | VMware | $146,598 | $70.48 | 1 |
| 5 | Walmart | $146,284 | $70.33 | 551 |
| 6 | Move | $146,152 | $70.27 | |
| 7 | Cisco | $143,860 | $69.16 | 494 |
| 8 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $141,263 | $67.91 | 1,274 |
| 9 | Amazon | $141,110 | $67.84 | 1,450 |
| 10 | Gluster | $140,433 | $67.52 | |
| 11 | Costco Wholesale | $140,296 | $67.45 | 4 |
| 12 | J.P. Morgan | $138,958 | $66.81 | |
| 13 | Slalom | $136,316 | $65.54 | 1,280 |
| 14 | Volvo Trucks | $134,546 | $64.69 | |
| 15 | Ford Motor | $134,352 | $64.59 | 573 |
| 16 | CyberCoders | $132,252 | $63.58 | 1 |
| 17 | McKinsey & Company Inc | $132,213 | $63.56 | 63 |
| 18 | Cadence Design Systems | $132,109 | $63.51 | 90 |
| 19 | Violin Memory | $131,342 | $63.15 | |
| 20 | Amd | $131,149 | $63.05 | 97 |
A job description for a software engineer/architect role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a software engineer/architect job description:
There are various strategies that you can use to find the right software engineer/architect for your business:
During your first interview to recruit software engineers/architect, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.
It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.
Sometimes, it's not enough to interview software engineer/architect candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:
The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.
Once you've selected the best software engineer/architect candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.
It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.
To prepare for the new software engineer/architect first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.
Recruiting software engineers/architect involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.
Software engineers/architect earn a median yearly salary is $117,739 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find software engineers/architect for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $40 and $77.