software architect
Software architects create the technical design and the functional model of a software system, based on functional specifications. They also design the architecture of the system or different modules and components related to the business' or customer requirements, technical platform, computer language or development environment.
software architect software architects create the technical design and the functional model of a software system, based on functional specifications. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.59 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include systems development life-cycle, object-oriented modelling, unified modelling language, business process modelling, tools for software configuration management.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £56,914 a year for Programmers and software development professionals (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £42,289 to £75,794 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 2134). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only software architect, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Frequently asked questions
What does software architect do?
Software architects create the technical design and the functional model of a software system, based on functional specifications. They also design the architecture of the system or different modules and components related to the business' or customer requirements, technical platform, computer language or development environment.
What skills does software architect need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include systems development life-cycle, object-oriented modelling, unified modelling language, business process modelling, tools for software configuration management, system design. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace software architect?
Our AI-durability model gives software architect a score of 0.59 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.