What Is a Software Architect?

A software architect is the visionary behind the software development process, defining the software’s framework and leading a team of developers in designing it. Like other tech fields, the software industry will see continued growth in the coming years, resulting in many opportunities for software architects. According to Statista, the software market in the US will be worth more than $896 billion by 2029, with an annual growth rate of 4.87 percent between 2025 and 2029 [1]. Software architects enjoy higher-than-average salaries, making this an appealing position for those with experience in software development and a desire to lead a team.

Learn more about software architect careers, including job responsibilities, necessary skills, education, and training, average salaries, and related roles.

What is a software architect?

A software architect manages the software development process, defining the structure of the software system’s architecture and making design choices related to coding, tools, and more. As a software architect, you’ll work closely with clients, analyzing their needs to ensure that the developed software addresses those needs and helps them achieve their goals. Once you’ve defined your client’s needs, you’ll develop a blueprint of the software, identifying how the individual components will interact.

A software architect is a leadership role. In this position, you’ll work on a project throughout the software development life cycle, from problem identification to software development, refinement, and maintenance. In this senior-level role, you may oversee a team of software developers. Ultimately, you serve as the visionary leader of the software development team, using your forward-thinking technological knowledge to design software solutions that benefit your client.

Software architect vs. software engineer

Software architects and software engineers work together on a project, with the architect establishing the vision and framework of the software and the software engineer developing it. Essentially, the software engineer brings the software architect’s vision to life. Software engineers use their computer science background to write code and build libraries to ensure the software meets the architect’s vision. They’ll also test and debug the software to ensure it operates optimally. Due to the similarities between roles, some software engineers may eventually become software architects responsible for high-level software design.

Software architect duties and responsibilities

As a software architect, you’ll enjoy a variety of job responsibilities with both technical and nontechnical duties. For example, one day, you may meet with your client to learn their specific software needs and business goals, which can help to inspire the early stages of your software development process. The next day, you may be working behind the scenes with a team of software developers in a quality assurance role to look for any errors in the code. In this role, you can expect to complete the following job duties:

• Develop the architecture for computer software.

• Oversee the software development life cycle by managing a team of developers.

• Collaborate with customers to identify their software needs.

• Identify the technical standards, such as tools, platforms, and coding standards, to follow for a software development project.

• Develop a Unified Modeling Language (UML) to design the project’s structure.

• Test the software’s code to identify any bugs and resolve them.

• Ensure the software meets quality standards.

• Research new technologies and implement those technologies into software development.

Software architect skills

According to Robert Half Talent Solutions’ Building Future-Forward Tech Teams report, 22 percent of technology leaders reported a skills gap in software and web applications development [2]. Understanding the technical skills employers desire helps you avoid that gap and focus your training, building your qualifications for a software architect role. Consider developing these skills as you begin a career as a software architect:

• Technical skills: Knowledge of programming languages, such as Java, Python, or JavaScript, and UML experience

• DevOps knowledge: Understanding how to make the software development life cycle efficient by optimizing team members’ skills and automating repetitive processes to improve productivity

• Leadership skills: An ability to guide a team of software developers and engineers, ensuring they meet project standards and timelines

• Communication skills: An ability to communicate technical information in a nontechnical way to stakeholders and customers and to convey key information between departments for a smooth workflow

• Problem-solving skills: An ability to navigate barriers in the software development process and implement solutions to keep the project on track and on time

Job outlook and salary for a software architect

The job outlook for a software architect is promising. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), opportunities for software developers, a role closely related to software architects, are expected to grow by 17 percent between 2023 and 2033, indicating a faster-than-average pace [3]. Moreover, Zippia predicts that the need for software architects will likely grow by 21 percent through 2028 [4]. In today’s digital age, more organizations need software to protect their infrastructure, and software architects are instrumental in the software development process. Similarly, as more products become reliant on software, such as electric vehicles, the need for skilled software architects will grow.

According to Glassdoor, the average annual salary for a software architect is $156,705 [5]. As you advance in your career, you may have the opportunity to move into a senior software architect position, which offers an average annual salary of $174,694 [6].

Software architect career path

Because a software architect is a leadership role, you’ll have to work your way up into the position. By building your education and experience in software development, you can prepare yourself for software architect roles. For example, you may first work as a software developer, refining your skills in using code under the guidance of a software architect. Other common job titles on the path to becoming a software architect include software project leader, technical solutions architect, or Java architect. You can hone your programming skills on the job or through personal projects, focusing on Java, C++, and Python. 

Consider the following key steps on your path toward a career in software architecture.

Education and training

To work as a software architect, you’ll want to earn a bachelor’s degree in computer and information technology, computer science, or a related field. According to Zippia, 66 percent of software architects hold a bachelor’s degree, while 25 percent have a master’s degree [7].

Another way to supplement your education is through certifications or Professional Certificates offered by industry leaders in software architecture. Earning one of the following can showcase your technical expertise and design skills to potential employers:

• Certified Professional for Software Architecture offered by the International Software Architecture Qualification Board

• AWS Cloud Solutions Architect Professional Certificate offered on Coursera

• Azure Solutions Architect Expert offered by Microsoft

• Professional Software Engineering Master Certification offered by IEEE

A certification or Professional Certificate can be especially useful if you’re transitioning careers or have an undergraduate degree outside of the computer science and information technology field. 

Who hires software architects?

Companies across industries, including technology, manufacturing, finance, health care, and artificial intelligence (AI), hire software architects. Some well-known organizations that hire software architects include Amazon, Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ford, and Accenture. Because organizations across industries rely on software to manage their business or even power their products, the need for software architects extends far beyond tech firms. Even more, the growing use of AI, Internet of Things (IoT), and robotics makes software developers and architects increasingly important. 

Career advancement

A software architect is one of many roles on a software development team. You may find yourself in a role with comparable job titles as you work alongside software developers or architects. As you gain experience, you may have the chance to secure a senior or executive-level role on the software development team. Consider these potential job titles and their corresponding salaries.

*All annual base salary data is sourced from Glassdoor as of April 2025 and does not include additional pay, such as commission and benefits.

• Application architect: $144,028

• Enterprise architect: $155,451

• Solution architect: $147,693

• Technical architect: $147,805

• Software project manager: $106,925

• Chief software architect: $186,278

• Director of software architecture: $185,599

• Chief technology officer: $198,614

Learn about a career as a software architect on Coursera

A career as a software architect can be rewarding as you lead a team of software developers to design software that meets client specifications. Prepare for a career in software architecture on Coursera. By earning the AWS Cloud Solutions Architect Professional Certificate, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about when and how to apply key Amazon Web Services (AWS) services and how to design architectural solutions.