What Is a Solutions Architect (and How Do I Become One)?

Key takeaways

• A solutions architect analyzes a business’s current technological environment and uses that information to develop a solution to the organization’s problem.

• A solutions architect provides roadmaps for proposed solutions, designs and debugs solutions, documents best practices for new solutions, advocates for process improvements, and communicates features and benefits to partners, customers, and other stakeholders.

• You can become a solutions architect by earning a bachelor’s degree, starting in an entry-level role (software engineer, systems analyst, or information security analyst), gaining experience in software development, and working in network administration for several years.

The roles and responsibilities of a solutions architect include providing technical leadership throughout a project’s lifecycle, testing your solutions, and reviewing the validity of solutions submitted by other team members.

Discover the role of a solutions architect, their responsibilities, your potential salary, and how to become one. If you’re ready to begin your career journey as a solutions architect, enroll in the AWS Cloud Solutions Architect Professional Certificate. In as little as two months, you can learn about cloud engineering, scalability, solutions architecture, cloud security, and more.

What is a solutions architect?

A solutions architect develops the technical vision for a solution to a business problem. Guided by business requirements, they design, describe, and manage software architecture's technological solutions. These tech professionals build the bridge between business and technical expertise to outline each of the phases and requirements required to reach business goals.

What does a solutions architect do?

A good solutions architect analyzes the existing environment and determines what technologies are available and what software product must be developed to provide the best solution for the problem that needs to be solved. From there, the solutions architect creates an overall strategic technical vision, similar to an architect designing a blueprint for a building. Based on that vision, the solutions architect also develops a budget for producing the software product.

After the stakeholders have agreed on the project, the solutions architect is responsible for monitoring the process and keeping stakeholders updated and informed on the progress. Most of the time, the project involves technical and non-technical stakeholders, and the solutions architect must ensure that each party's needs are considered and factored into the project's scope.

Tasks and responsibilities

Depending on the company you work for and the project you’re working on, your day-to-day tasks as a solutions architect might include:

• Providing recommendations and roadmaps for proposed solutions

• Performing design, debugging, and performance analysis on solutions

• Documenting and sharing best practice knowledge for new solutions

• Advocating for process improvements and helping develop solutions

• Regularly communicating new features and benefits to partners, customers, and other stakeholders

• Providing technical leadership to a team throughout the project lifecycle

• Developing proof-of-concept projects to validate your proposed solutions

• Reviewing and validating solution designs from other team members

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Solutions architect vs. project manager

Although a solutions architect is not a project manager, this position requires excellent project management skills to ensure that the project stays on time, on budget, and effectively solves the problem it was developed to solve. It also requires clear communication skills and the ability to translate technical details of the project into simple language that will be easy for non-technical stakeholders to understand. Successful solutions architects are usually curious, rational, analytical, and methodical, all of which are essential traits for this job.

The solutions architect role also requires being able to project into the future and consider upcoming uses. A solutions architect must view the long-term use of this product and implement scalability and adaptability into the solution for the future. If your career path is heading towards a solutions architect role, you might consider boosting your resume with some technical project management experience.

Should I pursue a career as a solutions architect?

If you are creative, analytical, outgoing, pragmatic, and can explain problems and solutions on both a technical and non-technical level, you could have a future as a solutions architect.

According to Glassdoor [1], the base pay for a solutions architect in the US ranges from about $124,000 to $202,000. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment opportunities for computer network architects are expected to grow 12 percent from 2024 to 2034 [2]. As companies expand their information technology networks, the demand for solutions architects will likely increase.

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How do I become a solutions architect?

There is no single path to becoming a solutions architect. Some of the most common degrees solutions architects hold are bachelor's degrees in computer science, business, or electrical engineering. According to Zippia, 66 percent of solutions architects have a bachelor's degree, and 24 percent have a master's [3]. A candidate with an MBA in information systems may also be a good fit for a role as a solutions architect.

Solutions architects have typically spent at least a few years in software development. This gives them a strong understanding of the tools and technologies involved in designing solutions. Five to 10 years of hands-on experience in network administration or information technology systems is common, but it varies based on what a specific company is looking for.

If you're new to the field, here are entry-level IT jobs and entry-level computer science jobs you may start with in a career path toward solutions architecture:

• Software engineer

• Systems analyst

• Network administrator

• Information security analyst

• Software developer

• Quality assurance (QA) analyst

• QA tester

You will also need to gain familiarity with programming languages and cloud platforms, which depend on the organization's technology stack. Some of the most popular cloud platforms today include AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. Google Cloud offers certifications in solutions architecture that you can use to enhance your resume and demonstrate specific skills to employers.

Read more: What's the Difference Between AWS vs. Azure vs. Google Cloud?

Discover more with our free resources

Subscribe to our weekly LinkedIn newsletter, Career Chat, for industry updates, tips, and trends. Then, explore free resources related to a career as a solutions architect to optimize your professional growth:

• Watch on YouTube: Mastering the Code: Essential Skills Every Software Developer Needs

• Read our Career Chat issue: 5 Project Management Certifications to Know

• Build a necessary skill: Cloud Computing Learning Roadmap: From Beginner to Expert

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