▼12%
$161,324
Avg. Base Salary (USD)
/ year
Avg. Base Salary (USD)
10%
$141k
MEDIAN
$161k
90%
$186k
The average salary for a Principal Software Architect is $161,324 in 2025
Base Salary
$141k - $186k
Bonus
$10k - $43k
Total Pay
$155k - $230k
Is Average Principal Software Architect with System Architecture Skills Salary your job title? Find out what you should be paid
Use our tool to get a personalized report on your market worth.What's this?
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What is the Pay by Experience Level for Principal Software Architects?
▲9%
What Do Principal Software Architects Do?
Principal Software Architect Tasks
- Drive technology innovation and research; lead technology strategy through market analyses, and share emerging technology trends with team.
- Confer with users, sponsors and stakeholders to identify their vision and needs; design a software or group of software that meet client's needs.
- Provide practical solutions to problems that arise during the engineering and architectural processes.
- Identify product requirements and limitations to ensure system function.
Find your market worth – how it works:
Common Health Benefits for a Principal Software Architect
Medical
100%
Dental
100%
Vision
82%
Gender Breakdown for Principal Software Architects
Male
77.8%
Female
11.1%
Prefer to self-define
11.1%
This data is based on 9 survey responses. Learn more about the gender pay gap.
FAQs About Principal Software Architects
What is the highest pay for Principal Software Architects?
Our data indicates that the highest pay for a Principal Software Architect is $186k / year
What is the lowest pay for Principal Software Architects?
Our data indicates that the lowest pay for a Principal Software Architect is $141k / year
How can Principal Software Architects increase their salary?
Increasing your pay as a Principal Software Architect is possible in different ways. Change of employer: Consider a career move to a new employer that is willing to pay higher for your skills. Level of Education: Gaining advanced degrees may allow this role to increase their income potential and qualify for promotions. Managing Experience: If you are a Principal Software Architect that oversees more junior Principal Software Architects, this experience can increase the likelihood to earn more.