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Solutions Architect salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a solutions architect is $137,800 per annum, before tax, up $29,000 since 2018.
Pay moves with the sector and with how you are engaged. Consulting firms, banks and insurers pay more than government and universities for the same title, and experienced architects often contract through their own company, which lifts gross earnings but gives up paid leave and job security. Vendor certifications and a current security clearance both raise what employers will offer, particularly for defence and federal government work.
Roles that pay more than solutions architect
The largest typical pay rise is $62,400 a year, moving into Chief Technology Officer.
- Chief Technology Officer+$62,400/yr
- Chief Information Officer+$34,300/yr
- Project Director+$10,400/yr
How to negotiate a higher solutions architect salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time solutions architect salary is $137,800; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Solutions Architects are on the skills shortage list for metropolitan areas, so employers are more likely to move on price to keep or attract someone in a role they're struggling to fill.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Cloud infrastructure and Business requirements analysis tend to command a premium over general solutions architect experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Chief Technology Officer pays a typical $62,400 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Solutions Architect salary questions
How much do solutions architects earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a solutions architect is $137,800 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is solutions architect pay rising or falling?
The median solutions architect salary is up $29,000 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than solutions architect?
Chief Technology Officer pays a typical $62,400 a year more and draws on similar skills to solutions architect.