What are the main factors that influence a Lead Systems Architect's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change a Lead Systems Architect's salary?

A Lead Systems Architect's salary grows with experience: starting around $159,491 for beginners, reaching about $161,444 at mid-level, and approach $164,667 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Lead Systems Architect?

Lead Systems Architect salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Lead Systems Architect roles are District of Columbia $181,290, California $180,602, Massachusetts $178,195. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Lead Systems Architect roles make?

Salaries for Lead Systems Architect level roles vary by specialization: Lead Architect: $177,320; Principal Systems Architect: $169,667; Senior Systems Architect: $167,990; Enterprise Infrastructure Lead Architect: $166,100; Lead Systems Engineering Architect: $166,015.

How do different companies affect a Lead Systems Architect's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Lead Systems Architect roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Lead Systems Architect Salary in the United States

How much does a Lead Systems Architect make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lead Systems Architect in the United States is $163,737 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $79.

However, a Lead Systems Architect's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $181,007
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $153,142 to $172,777
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $143,496

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Lead Systems Architect Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$172,777	$14,398	$3,323	$83
Average	$163,737	$13,645	$3,149	$79
25th Percentile	$153,142	$12,762	$2,945	$74

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Key Factors That Influence Lead Systems Architect Salaries

A Lead Systems Architect's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Lead Systems Architect Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Lead Systems Architect's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $159,491
Early Career (1-2 years): $160,304
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $161,444
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $162,746
Expert (over 8 years): $164,667

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Lead Systems Architect	$159,491
Intermediate Level Lead Systems Architect	$160,304
Senior Level Lead Systems Architect	$161,444
Specialist Level Lead Systems Architect	$162,746
Expert Level Lead Systems Architect	$164,667

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Lead Systems Architect Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Lead Systems Architects. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $181,290.
California: $180,602.
Massachusetts: $178,195.

District of Columbia $181,290 California $180,602 Massachusetts $178,195 Washington $177,540 New Jersey $177,475 Alaska $177,245 Connecticut $174,986 New York $174,069

Hawaii $171,138 Rhode Island $169,763 Maryland $168,829 Minnesota $167,552 Colorado $167,061 Illinois $166,897 Oregon $166,275 Delaware $165,816

New Hampshire $165,528 Virginia $164,883 Pennsylvania $163,000 Nevada $162,051 North Dakota $161,739 Michigan $161,248 Wisconsin $161,068 Vermont $160,708

Texas $159,709 Maine $159,644 Arizona $159,545 Ohio $159,431 Georgia $157,924 Indiana $157,171 Wyoming $157,024 Utah $156,795

Iowa $156,696 Kansas $155,910 Louisiana $155,681 North Carolina $155,599 Missouri $155,567 Florida $154,928 Montana $154,584 Nebraska $154,257

Kentucky $154,077 South Carolina $153,422 Tennessee $153,012 Idaho $152,848 New Mexico $151,653 Oklahoma $151,391 Alabama $150,425 South Dakota $148,804

Arkansas $147,920 West Virginia $147,445 Mississippi $146,021

Top Paying Cities for Lead Systems Architects

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $206,521
San Francisco: $204,491
Oakland: $199,956

San Jose, CA $206,521

San Francisco, CA $204,491

Oakland, CA $199,956

New York, NY $189,755

Queens Village, NY $188,527

Paramus, NJ $187,217

Passaic, NJ $187,053

Bergenfield, NJ $186,889

Stamford, CT $186,644

Huntington, NY $186,480

Newark, NJ $185,416

Bridgeport, CT $185,088

New Brunswick, NJ $184,548

Vallejo, CA $184,204

Middlesex, NJ $184,106

Somerset, NJ $183,959

Petaluma, CA $183,582

Santa Cruz, CA $182,943

Boston, MA $182,616

Monterey, CA $181,797

Fairbanks, AK $181,683

Los Angeles, CA $181,371

Washington, DC $181,290

Seattle, WA $180,995

Santa Rosa, CA $180,962

Juneau, AK $180,487

Orange, CA $179,947

Anchorage, AK $179,652

Anaheim, CA $179,538

Santa Ana, CA $179,292

Nassau, NY $179,194

Long Beach, CA $179,128

Danbury, CT $179,079

Santa Maria, CA $178,522

Everett, WA $178,490

Bremerton, WA $177,687

Trenton, NJ $177,376

Sacramento, CA $177,311

San Diego, CA $177,229

Brockton, MA $177,163

Tacoma, WA $177,098

Santa Barbara, CA $176,869

Lowell, MA $176,214

New Suffolk, NY $176,148

Nashua, NH $175,952

Lompoc, CA $175,690

Ventura, CA $175,526

Stockton, CA $175,477

New Haven, CT $175,149

Atlantic City, NJ $174,724

Hartford, CT $174,364

Modesto, CA $174,282

Poughkeepsie, NY $173,921

New Britain, CT $173,840

Olympia, WA $173,610

Kennewick, WA $173,610

New London, CT $173,578

Norwich, CT $173,528

Lawrence, MA $173,447

Bakersfield, CA $172,988

Riverside, CA $172,759

New Bedford, MA $172,759

Richland, WA $172,595

Portsmouth, NH $172,464

Vineland, NJ $172,431

San Bernardino, CA $172,300

Boulder, CO $171,842

Worcester, MA $171,711

Portland, OR $171,564

Saint Paul, MN $171,367

Minneapolis, MN $171,367

Philadelphia, PA $171,138

Honolulu, HI $170,270

Springfield, MA $169,697

Providence, RI $169,681

Chicago, IL $169,206

Bellingham, WA $169,009

Baltimore, MD $168,829

Chico, CA $168,420

Wilmington, DE $168,142

Pittsfield, MA $167,978

Manchester, NH $167,667

Spokane, WA $166,946

Denver, CO $166,930

Albany, NY $166,160

Troy, NY $166,095

Schenectady, NY $165,751

Burlington, VT $165,391

Portland, ME $164,818

Salem, OR $164,687

Yakima, WA $164,654

Ann Arbor, MI $164,605

Rochester, MN $164,146

Fresno, CA $164,064

Reno, NV $164,064

Milwaukee, WI $163,917

Detroit, MI $163,753

Allentown, PA $163,704

Carson City, NV $163,688

Houston, TX $163,442

Colorado Springs, CO $163,426

Syracuse, NY $163,344

Eugene, OR $163,033

Bismarck, ND $162,836

Gary, IN $162,836

Galveston, TX $162,836

Springfield, OR $162,705

Medford, OR $162,312

Fort Collins, CO $162,247

Austin, TX $162,116

Mesa, AZ $161,772

Phoenix, AZ $161,739

Dallas, TX $161,690

Reading, PA $161,592

Saint Cloud, MN $161,527

Concord, NH $161,379

Madison, WI $161,314

Utica, NY $160,872

Raleigh, NC $160,741

Las Vegas, NV $160,724

Rochester, NY $160,610

Des Moines, IA $160,593

Atlanta, GA $160,331

Battle Creek, MI $160,282

Salt Lake City, UT $160,233

Lancaster, PA $159,987

Champaign, IL $159,955

Harrisburg, PA $159,758

Durham, NC $159,611

Kansas City, MO $159,594

Kansas City, KS $159,562

Fort Worth, TX $159,545

Boca Raton, FL $159,480

Cleveland, OH $159,463

Columbus, OH $159,431

Pittsburgh, PA $159,414

Richmond, VA $159,349

Indianapolis, IN $159,316

Cincinnati, OH $159,103

Petersburg, VA $158,858

Billings, MT $158,497

Lansing, MI $158,497

Huntsville, AL $158,497

Lebanon, PA $158,481

Dayton, OH $158,465

Pueblo, CO $158,465

Appleton, WI $158,416

Buffalo, NY $158,350

Racine, WI $158,268

Charlotte, NC $158,252

Saint Louis, MO $158,203

Springfield, IL $158,137

Elkhart, IN $158,104

York, PA $158,104

Gastonia, NC $158,088

Benton Harbor, MI $158,088

Beaumont, TX $157,990

Lorain, OH $157,957

Toledo, OH $157,892

Binghamton, NY $157,810

Rock Hill, SC $157,793

Rockford, IL $157,711

Fargo, ND $157,630

Elyria, OH $157,630

Flagstaff, AZ $157,515

Fort Lauderdale, FL $157,417

Miami, FL $157,319

Duluth, MN $157,057

Bangor, ME $156,844

Cedar Rapids, IA $156,664

Louisville, KY $156,582

Grand Rapids, MI $156,549

Hialeah, FL $156,533

Casper, WY $156,303

Scranton, PA $156,107

New Orleans, LA $156,058

Virginia Beach, VA $156,041

Akron, OH $155,959

Peoria, IL $155,747

Sarasota, FL $155,714

Green Bay, WI $155,599

Baton Rouge, LA $155,517

Charleston, SC $155,485

Nashville, TN $155,436

Jamestown, NY $155,403

Davenport, IA $155,403

Tucson, AZ $155,321

Cheyenne, WY $155,272

Saint Petersburg, FL $155,223

Tampa, FL $155,190

Omaha, NE $155,157

Port Arthur, TX $155,092

Evansville, IN $155,092

Bradenton, FL $155,026

Santa Fe, NM $154,731

Orlando, FL $154,568

Clearwater, FL $154,388

Canton, OH $154,044

La Crosse, WI $154,044

Grand Forks, ND $153,995

Albuquerque, NM $153,946

Tulsa, OK $153,946

Newport News, VA $153,929

High Point, NC $153,880

Ogden, UT $153,815

Corpus Christi, TX $153,684

Laramie, WY $153,585

Norfolk, VA $153,585

Rock Island, IL $153,487

Saginaw, MI $153,454

Jacksonville, FL $153,438

Salisbury, NC $153,405

Memphis, TN $153,372

Moline, IL $153,291

Fort Myers, FL $153,241

Waterloo, IA $153,029

Spartanburg, SC $152,865

Lincoln, NE $152,783

Fort Wayne, IN $152,750

Birmingham, AL $152,570

Cedar Falls, IA $152,537

Provo, UT $152,521

Springfield, OH $152,505

San Antonio, TX $152,472

Greensboro, NC $152,406

South Bend, IN $152,390

Winston Salem, NC $152,374

Boise, ID $152,325

Savannah, GA $152,210

Muskegon, MI $151,915

Lima, OH $151,719

Lake Charles, LA $151,653

Anderson, IN $151,620

Lexington, KY $151,571

Augusta, GA $151,522

Greenville, SC $151,522

Wichita, KS $151,375

Tuscaloosa, AL $151,375

Columbia, SC $151,227

Bloomington, IN $150,818

Roanoke, VA $150,720

Asheville, NC $150,507

Knoxville, TN $150,229

Shreveport, LA $150,212

Wilmington, NC $149,999

Frankfort, KY $149,688

Oklahoma City, OK $149,574

Chillicothe, OH $149,508

Longview, TX $149,492

Topeka, KS $149,443

Mobile, AL $149,197

Terre Haute, IN $149,132

Erie, PA $149,115

Altoona, PA $149,033

Melbourne, FL $148,984

Amarillo, TX $148,919

Killeen, TX $148,870

Fayetteville, AR $148,739

Sioux Falls, SD $148,624

Chattanooga, TN $148,526

Idaho Falls, ID $148,509

Gainesville, FL $148,166

Portsmouth, OH $148,084

Little Rock, AR $148,051

Lynchburg, VA $148,051

Lafayette, LA $147,986

Youngstown, OH $147,986

Temple, TX $147,920

Daytona Beach, FL $147,887

Clarksville, TN $147,871

Pensacola, FL $147,855

Hopkinsville, KY $147,363

Charleston, WV $147,347

Florence, SC $147,265

Sioux City, IA $147,167

Macon, GA $146,692

Tallahassee, FL $146,676

Fayetteville, NC $146,643

Waco, TX $146,610

Wichita Falls, TX $146,610

Pine Bluff, AR $146,545

Vincennes, IN $146,234

Lubbock, TX $146,168

Great Falls, MT $146,070

Alamogordo, NM $146,053

Abilene, TX $145,922

Rapid City, SD $145,710

Monroe, LA $145,710

Albany, GA $145,611

Huntington, WV $145,595

Jackson, MS $145,579

Greenville, MS $145,562

Parkersburg, WV $145,398

Montgomery, AL $145,366

Johnstown, PA $145,333

Springfield, MO $145,202

Biloxi, MS $145,120

Sumter, SC $144,776

Columbus, GA $144,760

Twin Falls, ID $144,662

Pascagoula, MS $144,449

Kingsport, TN $144,023

Gulfport, MS $143,974

Alexandria, LA $143,434

Fort Smith, AR $143,024

El Paso, TX $142,582

Helena, MT $142,369

Las Cruces, NM $141,845

Harlingen, TX $141,387

Pocatello, ID $141,240

Florence, AL $141,190

Brownsville, TX $141,158

Dothan, AL $140,896

Mcallen, TX $140,814

Columbus, MS $139,602

Altus, OK $138,849

Lawton, OK $138,538

Pierre, SD $137,948

What Skills Can Increase a Lead Systems Architect's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Leadership (Mentioned in 5.34% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Software Development (Mentioned in 2.75% Job Postings): Software development is the process of conceiving, specifying, designing, programming, documenting, testing, and bug fixing involved in creating and maintaining applications, frameworks, or other software components. Software development is a process of writing and maintaining the source code, but in a broader sense, it includes all that is involved between the conception of the desired software through to the final manifestation of the software, sometimes in a planned and structured process. Therefore, software development may include research, new development, prototyping, modification, reuse, re-engineering, maintenance, or any other activities that result in software products. Software can be developed for a variety of purposes, the three most common being to meet specific needs of a specific client/business (the case with custom software), to meet a perceived need of some set of potential users (the case with commercial and open source software), or for personal use (e.g. a scientist may write software to automate a mundane task). Embedded software development, that is, the development of embedded software, such as used for controlling consumer products, requires the development process to be integrated with the development of the controlled physical product. System software underlies applications and the programming process itself, and is often developed separately.
Python (Mentioned in 1.44% Job Postings): Applying the concepts and algorithms of Python to design, develop and maintain software applications to comply with business requirements.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Leadership	5.34%
Software Development	2.75%
Python	1.44%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Lead Systems Architect's salary.

Partnering: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Systems Architecture: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Partnering	$173,561	6%
Systems Architecture	$171,924	5%
Commitment	$170,286	4%
Microservices	$168,649	3%
Enterprise Architecture	$168,649	3%
AWS	$168,649	3%

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How Education impacts a Lead Systems Architect's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Lead Systems Architects enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Lead Systems Architect with a Bachelor's Degree is between $166,206 and $173,760).

Lead Systems Architect Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Lead Systems Architect

No Diploma 2.6%

High School 11.9%

Associates 6.7%

Bachelors 49.5%

Masters 27.3%

Doctorate 2.1%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	2.6%
High School	11.9%
Associates	6.7%
Bachelors	49.5%
Masters	27.3%
Doctorate	2.1%

view as graph

Lead Systems Architect Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Lead Systems Architect's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

$153,142

Average $163,737/year

$172,777

$12,762

Average $13,645/month

$14,398

$2,945

Average $3,149/week

$3,323

$74

Average $79/hour

$83

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$172,777	$14,398	$3,323	$83
Average	$163,737	$13,645	$3,149	$79
25th Percentile	$153,142	$12,762	$2,945	$74

Salaries of jobs related to Lead Systems Architect

Salary Trends for Lead Systems Architect

Salaries for a Lead Systems Architect can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $164,031 in 2023 to around $163,268 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Lead Systems Architect salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Lead Systems Architect Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$164,031

2024

$164,459

2025

$163,268

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$164,031
2024	$164,459
2025	$163,268
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Lead Systems Architect

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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