What do software architects do?

They design system architectures, make technology selection decisions, create technical roadmaps, review code and designs, mentor engineers, and ensure non-functional requirements (scalability, security, performance) are met.

What salary can software architects expect?

Software architect salaries range from $150k for mid-level to $250k+ total compensation for senior architects at major tech companies. It's one of the highest-paying individual contributor tracks.

How do you become a software architect?

Typically 8–15+ years of engineering experience, demonstrated ability to design complex systems, strong communication skills, and breadth across multiple technology domains. There's no single certification - experience and judgment matter most.

1,362+ JobsUpdated Apr 22, 2026

Software Architect Jobs

Software architects make the highest-level technical decisions - choosing tech stacks, designing system architectures, setting engineering standards, and mentoring teams. These senior positions require deep engineering experience and the ability to balance technical excellence with business needs.

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Salary Range

$0k – $338k

Top Companies

Leidos, Procom, NextLink Labs, Mawari Technologies, H&N Research Inc, Acentra Health +38 more

Job Types

84% Full Time, 16% Contract

Top Locations

CA, Bethesda, Washington, District of Columbia, Santa Clara, California

Work Model

72% On-Site, 20% Hybrid, 8% Remote

Experience Levels

40% Senior, 28% Mid Level, 14% principal

We found 1,362 software architect jobs currently hiring in locations including CA, Bethesda, Washington, District of Columbia. Salaries range from $0k to $338k based on experience, location, and company size. Work arrangements include On-Site (72%), Hybrid (20%), Remote (8%). Top employers include Leidos, Procom, NextLink Labs and 41 other companies.

Companies Hiring for Software Architect Jobs

Leidos4 jobs

Procom2 jobs

NextLink Labs2 jobs

Mawari Technologies2 jobs

H&N Research Inc1 job

Acentra Health1 job

+38 more companies hiring. Sign up to see all.

Career Path & Salary Progression

Junior

$82k–$103k

5 jobs

Mid Level

$60k–$180k

14 jobs

Senior

$122k–$194k

20 jobs

Lead

Salary varies

2 jobs

Staff

Salary varies

1 job

Latest Jobs Added

Senior iOS Developer – AI/ML, Apple Health, and In-App Purchases

H&N Research Inc

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Software Architect Jobs

Companies Hiring for Software Architect Jobs

Career Path & Salary Progression

Latest Jobs Added

Senior iOS Developer – AI/ML, Apple Health, and In-App Purchases

Mid PHP Developer

Systems Engineer, Journeyman

MID-level Java Full Stack Software Developer

Android Developer with Security Clearance

Gen AI-ML Engineer, AVP

Remote Senior Software Engineer for AI Automation and Tool Development

Senior Software Developer - AI (Golang)

Sr. Software Engineer, Observability and Telemetry

Junior .NET Developer: Hybrid in DC Metro

Cloud Engineer, GCP and Kubernetes w IaC: Terraform

Senior Full-Stack Engineer (Ruby on Rails & React) — Canada

Systems Administrator, Microsoft M365 (Contract)

Solutions Engineer - India

Cloud Engineer, GCP and Kubernetes w IaC: Terraform

PHP & Software Developer II for Video Sharing Platforms

Sr. Software Development Engineer, Advertiser Growth Tech

Senior DevOps Lead / Infrastructure Engineer

Distinguished, Software Engineer -AI/ML Engineer- Walmart Connect

Cloud & Data Engineer

Senior GCP Cloud Engineer

Legal, Land Use

Senior Full-Stack Engineer (Ruby on Rails & React) — Canada

Principal Software Architect (Python)

Principal Network Engineer

Front-End Architect

Senoir .Net Angular Developer

Data Engineer Jobs

Principal Software Engineer - Wildfire Backend DevOps 🏆

Senior Microsoft 365 / Intune Engineer

Senior Full Stack Node-React Developer

Staff Cloud Engineer (AWS)

Senior Full Stack Node-React Developer

Principal Software Engineer (Prisma Access)

Software Engineer – Aviation Messaging Systems (MUST BE LOCAL)

Site Reliability Engineer

Principal Network Engineer

Lead Data Engineer - Financial Data, Compliance & Business Intelligence

Lead Site Reliability Engineer

Senior UX Product Designer, Homes.com

Senior Microsoft Power BI Developer (Engineer Software 3)

DevOps Engineer (Journeymen - SME Level)

Sr. Software Engineer, Backend

Azure DevOps Engineer/Network Engineer

Data Scientist I

Machine Learning Engineer- AI

DevOps Engineer - Azure (Temporary)

Senior Software Developer II - Full Stack

Senior Platform Engineer (SRE / DevOps)

API Architect – Digital Platforms Engineer & Delivery

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