Avg. Base Salary (USD)
The average salary for a Principal Software Architect is $162,559 in 2025
Featured Content
What Do Principal Software Architects Do?
- 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.
Common Health Benefits for a Principal Software Architect
Gender Breakdown for Principal Software Architects
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 $208k / year
What is the lowest pay for Principal Software Architects?
Our data indicates that the lowest pay for a Principal Software Architect is $114k / 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.