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.

1,956+ JobsUpdated May 7, 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

$51k – $304k

Top Companies

Peraton, LIGHTFEATHER IO LLC, Jobs via Dice, STR, Robinhood, Citylitics +40 more

Job Types

74% Full Time, 22% Contract, 2% Part Time

Top Locations

Washington, District of Columbia, CA, Toronto, Ontario, Columbia

Work Model

82% On-Site, 18% Hybrid

Experience Levels

58% Mid Level, 20% Senior, 8% principal

We found 1,956 software architect jobs currently hiring in locations including Washington, District of Columbia, CA, Toronto, Ontario. Salaries range from $51k to $304k based on experience, location, and company size. Work arrangements include On-Site (82%), Hybrid (18%). Top employers include Peraton, LIGHTFEATHER IO LLC, Jobs via Dice and 43 other companies.

Companies Hiring for Software Architect Jobs

Peraton3 jobs

LIGHTFEATHER IO LLC2 jobs

Jobs via Dice2 jobs

STR1 job

Robinhood1 job

Citylitics1 job

+40 more companies hiring. Sign up to see all.

Career Path & Salary Progression

Intern

Salary varies

1 job

Mid Level

$90k–$157k

29 jobs

Senior

$130k–$215k

10 jobs

Lead

Salary varies

2 jobs

Staff

Salary varies

3 jobs

Latest Jobs Added

Principal Model-Based Systems Engineer Jobs

STR

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Software Architect Jobs

Companies Hiring for Software Architect Jobs

Career Path & Salary Progression

Latest Jobs Added

Principal Model-Based Systems Engineer Jobs

Senior Security Engineer/ AI Vulnerability Management

Senior Software Engineer /Full Stack

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Senior Full-Stack Laravel & Vue Developer

Vue.JS Front End Developer - TS/SCI (Hybrid)

GCP Cloud Engineer

Site Reliability Engineer, Senior Advisor

Backend Engineer - SE 3

GCP Cloud Engineer

AI/ML DevOps Engineer (2026-0064)

Cyber Security Entrepreneur in Residence

Software Engineer, Maritime

Senior Security Engineer

Java Application Support Engineer

AWS Cloud Infrastructure Engineer Ops Support ​

Data Engineer I, IT PnD Data and Analytics

Principal Full Stack Software Engineer - Security

MLOps Developer - Full Stack, AWS - ZL

Python Developer with AWS and GenAI experience - Hybrid/Onsite - ZL

Tak-X Software Developer

GCP Cloud Architect Jobs

Staff Software Engineer

Microsoft 365 Administrator: Copilot & GenAI Architect

Node JS Developer

UX Product Designer (AI Driven Experiences Lead)

Data Engineer I, IT PnD Data and Analytics

Manager, Cyber Product Owner

Customer Technical Program Manager

Financial and Operations System Administrator

Product Solution Engineer

Machine Learning Engineer, User & Content Intelligence

Network Engineer

Naval Communication Systems Engineer

Applied AI, Forward Deployed Machine Learning Engineer - Montreal

Lead Data Engineer – Financial Data, Compliance & Business Intelligence

Android Developer

Desktop Support Specialist

AI Systems Engineer and Solutions Architect

Systems Engineer (Engineer Systems 5)

GCP Cloud Architect

Principal Frontend Engineer

AI Integration & Data Engineering (Summer Internship)

Senior Dev Ops Engineer

Data Scientist, Data and AI

Software Engineer I (Backend)

Senior Software Engineer (Cloud / .NET)

Lead AI Engineer

Platform Engineer, E-Commerce, Search and AI

Full-Stack .Net Developer

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