How to Become a Software Architect in 2024: Complete Guide

Software Architect is also known as a computer programmer who has expertise in software development. As a software architect, you are supposed to troubleshoot coding issues and developed high-performance software systems to achieve your company’s goals. This is one of the highest-paying and top demanding jobs in IT companies. If you are looking for information to understand how to become a software architect, then you are reading an ideal article. Here we will cover the skills required to be a software architect, the salary slab, top companies, and the future scope of this job. Also, you’ll get to know about the top colleges and their fees for becoming a software architect.

Job Profile	Software Architect
Educational Qualifications	B.Tech/M.Tech
Top Universities	IITs, NITs, SRM Engineering College and more
Average Salary	INR 27 to 30 LPA
Top Recruiters	Deloitte, Amazon, Microsoft, KPMG and more

Who are Software Architects?

Software Architects are the most important job role in the software development team. They use to handle complex tasks related to the system design and fulfilling project-related technical requirements. Many organisations hire these experts to troubleshoot coding issues because they have broad technical knowledge. In general, a software architect assists an organisation in developing structured software solutions that meet the organization’s technological needs and goals. When it comes to understanding the proper job role of Software Architects then it is mandatory to understand their skills first.

Must Read: How to Become a Software Developer in India?

How to Become a Software Architect?

A software architect should have certain technical skills, which are easier to achieve when you follow a systematic approach. If you want to work as a software architect, here are some steps you can take.

Attain Basic Qualifications 

People who choose a science discipline after finishing 10th grade are eligible for engineering entrance exams after 12th grade. Choosing computer science in addition to your core science subjects can be advantageous because it will familiarise you with the fundamentals of computers and some common programming languages.

Also Read: How to Become a Software Engineer After 12th?

Get a Bachelor’s Degree

You can pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer or a B.Tech in computer science as both courses are designed to familiarise students with software design and development. This gives you specialised coursework and you can also choose your electives accordingly.

Acquire Relevant Experience

Internships can be used throughout your undergraduate education to gain practical work experience and develop some fundamental but relevant skills. This also allows you to network with professionals and understand current market demands, giving you a competitive advantage. You can also be a part of projects taken up by your university and gain an edge over others with practical experience.

Go for a Master’s Degree

While a master’s degree is not required, it may be beneficial if you want to improve your technical knowledge and skills. You will also be able to apply to top-reputed companies that require candidates with a master’s degree. It is important to pass competitive examinations such as GATE to pursue an M.Tech or master’s degree in computer science from a reputed college or university. This also aids in the development of industry-specific skills.

Try out Certificate Courses

Because a software architect should be familiar with programming languages such as Python and Java, taking a certificate course in these languages will allow you to hone your skills and gain the necessary credentials. Furthermore, you can look for certification courses that can be completed while working, allowing you to gain experience while also developing specific skill sets.

Prepare a Compelling Resume

Make sure your resume is up to date with your most recent qualifications, experience, and skill sets. When applying for a specific job role, review the requirements and make a point of aligning your resume with those requirements so that the hiring manager can easily match your skills to their needs.

Benefits of Becoming a Software Architect

Here are a few reasons why you should become a software architect. These below-mentioned benefits will help you to understand the importance of the software architect role.

• High Market Demand: Because every industry requires specific software products, there is a high market demand for these professionals. With the advancement of technology, the demand for these professionals is expected to rise in the future.
• Pay Scale: The average salary for a software architect is fairly high in comparison to other job roles in the IT industry. Nearly, INR 25 to 27 lakhs is the average annual package for this role. Additionally, as your experience and skills grow, so will your pay scale.
• Responsibility: As a software architect, you get to lead the team/project. Also, offer end-to-end solutions, development, and application delivery. You may be able to manage development teams, giving you a sense of accomplishment and responsibility.
• Opportunities and Travel: As a software architect, you may have numerous opportunities to advance professionally and financially. You will also have the chance to travel to client locations to understand their needs and present your ideas.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Software Architect

The Roles and Responsibilities of a Software Architect include

• Meeting with clients, learning about their business goals, identifying their software needs, and designing solutions to meet those needs.
• Lead a team to design and build a well-architectured application.
• Discuss with clients the overall business plan and what areas can be improved to streamline a business or software process.
• Creating a strategy for developing an application platform that works best for each company’s unique situation and can grow and adapt with them.
• Working on projects with a large number of developers.
• Working to meet project or release deadlines.
• Interacting with individuals in various roles, such as testers and business analysts.

Must Read: How to Become a Business Analyst?

Key Skills Required

To be successful, a software architect must possess both hard and soft skills. While hard skills assist them in carrying out their core responsibilities, soft skills supplement their hard skills and enable these professionals to collaborate effectively and lead their teams. The following are the specific skills that a software architect must have:

Hard Skills

• Unified Modeling Language (UML) is frequently listed as a core requirement for software architect positions because it helps these professionals build new systems and effectively visualise them.
• Knowledge of one or more popular programming languages, such as Java, JavaScript, C++, Ruby, Python, and so on.
• To become a successful software architect, individuals should be well-versed in software architecture, AWS, application development, database design, and DevOps practices.

Soft Skills

• Leadership skills 
• Problem-solving skills 
• Communication skills
• Attention to detail 
• Organizational skills
• Creative thinking skills
• Negotiation skills

Software Architect Job Requirements

Applicants must check the eligibility criteria before applying for any job.

• You must have graduated from a recognised high school with a minimum of 60% in maths, physics, and chemistry.
• They must complete undergraduate courses such as B.Arch/Diploma with a minimum of 65% from any university or institution. The bachelor of architecture programme lasts five years.
• If you want to pursue a postgraduate degree, you must take the GATE exam. To be eligible to apply for your dream job, you must have at least a 50% in Master of Technology.

Types of Software Architects

Software architects are those who create software systems. Their role may differ from one organisation to the next and depending on the type of software solution they create. The following are some job titles associated with software architects:

• System Architect
• Solution Architect
• Enterprise Architect
• Application Architect
• Data Architect
• Information Architect
• Security Architect
• Cloud Architect

Also Read: Let’s Explore Architecture as Career

Salary of a Software Architect

Salary is an important component of choosing a career field therefore we have curated some salary details around the Software Architect jobs in India. When you work in India as a software architect your average base salary will be around INR 10 Lakhs to INR 40 Lakhs. Given below are average salary details based on experience.

Experience	Salary
Less than 1 year	INR 9 – 10 Lakhs
1 – 4 years	INR 10 – 20 Lakhs
5 – 9 years	INR 10 – 20 Lakhs
10 -19 years	INR 20 – 30 Lakhs
20+ years	INR 30 – 40 Lakhs

The salary of a Software Architect is determined by a variety of factors, including the skills they possess and the organisation for which they work. Furthermore, the location, or more specifically, the city or state where a software architect works, can have an impact on their annual salary and career trajectory.

Top Recruiters

Some of the top companies that hire software architects to include:

• Deloitte
• Amazon
• Microsoft 
• Dell
• PwC
• Philips
• KPMG
• Cognizant

Top Universities for Software Architecture 

Candidates must successfully complete the graduation course in order to become software architects. The best colleges and universities in India for training as software architects are listed below.

• Alagappa University, Karaikui
• SRM Engineering College
• Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University
• St. Xavier’s College
• Sri Ramakrishna Engineering College
• National Institute of Technology, Calicut
• Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi
• National Institute of Technology, Calicut
• National Institute of Technology, Durgapur
• Amity University
• College of Computer Science and Information Technology
• Delhi Technologies
• Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
• Ramanujan College, New Delhi
• Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee

Future Scope

Many businesses in every industry are now completely reliant on digital channels. They must adapt to rapidly changing business needs and software. This has increased the global demand for software architects. A software architect is quickly becoming one of the most in-demand and rewarding jobs in the world.

The rapid evolution of technology and the adoption of agile methods have resulted in a significant shift in the roles and responsibilities of a software architect. A career as a software architect can help you build your profile and teach you a lot about the product and how customers use it or what they need. It will assist you in strengthening some professional and technical areas such as software coding standards, job-related tools, and the business side.

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