SOC 17-1011 · May 2025
Architect Salary
Architects in the US earn a median of $99,280 a year ($51.09 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Architect pay climbed from $89,560 in 2019 to $106,260 in 2025, a +18.6% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$99,280
Half of all Architects in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+18.6% since 2019 · +2.8% YoY
Hourly
$51.09
Job growth 2025-35
+4.3%
US workers
106,770
BLS series
Annual median wage for Architects, Except Landscape and Naval in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Architects is $62,300 – $161,420.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$62,300
25th
$77,960
Median
$99,280
75th
$126,550
90th
$161,420
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Architects. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $62,300 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $77,960 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $99,280 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $126,550 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $161,420 |
Geography
Architect pay by state
Architects earn the most in Wyoming ($120,580, +21% against the national median) and the least in New Mexico ($77,720). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 51 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$99,280
Highest-paying states for architects
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $120,580 | +21% | 130 |
| Massachusetts | $117,330 | +18% | 4,590 |
| Maryland | $114,550 | +15% | 1,800 |
| Alaska | $108,730 | +10% | 210 |
| California | $108,540 | +9% | 13,270 |
| Rhode Island | $105,160 | +6% | 550 |
| Connecticut | $103,540 | +4% | 1,200 |
| South Dakota | $102,500 | +3% | 180 |
| Colorado | $102,400 | +3% | 3,290 |
| Hawaii | $102,340 | +3% | 600 |
All 51 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $120,580 | 130 |
| Massachusetts | $117,330 | 4,590 |
| Maryland | $114,550 | 1,800 |
| Alaska | $108,730 | 210 |
| California | $108,540 | 13,270 |
| Rhode Island | $105,160 | 550 |
| Connecticut | $103,540 | 1,200 |
| South Dakota | $102,500 | 180 |
| Colorado | $102,400 | 3,290 |
| Hawaii | $102,340 | 600 |
| D.C. | $102,040 | 1,700 |
| Arizona | $102,000 | 1,550 |
| Nevada | $101,570 | 530 |
| South Carolina | $101,550 | 1,030 |
| New Hampshire | $101,100 | 250 |
| Georgia | $100,420 | 2,440 |
| Oklahoma | $100,350 | 910 |
| Washington | $100,190 | 3,720 |
| Minnesota | $99,940 | 2,340 |
| New Jersey | $99,800 | 2,390 |
| New York | $99,280 | 10,360 |
| Oregon | $98,800 | 2,050 |
| Wisconsin | $98,510 | 1,230 |
| Missouri | $98,490 | 2,150 |
| Kentucky | $97,680 | 630 |
| Virginia | $97,680 | 2,130 |
| Montana | $97,290 | 550 |
| North Dakota | $97,110 | 290 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,030 | 3,760 |
| Delaware | $97,030 | 120 |
| Iowa | $96,810 | 650 |
| West Virginia | $96,470 | 80 |
| Florida | $96,240 | 5,580 |
| Indiana | $96,060 | 1,430 |
| Alabama | $95,990 | 990 |
| North Carolina | $95,700 | 2,980 |
| Utah | $95,590 | 1,520 |
| Ohio | $94,960 | 3,480 |
| Texas | $94,490 | 7,820 |
| Tennessee | $94,030 | 2,570 |
| Idaho | $93,710 | 850 |
| Nebraska | $91,530 | 620 |
| Michigan | $88,430 | 2,630 |
| Kansas | $85,490 | 840 |
| Vermont | $82,400 | 320 |
| Illinois | $81,780 | 5,130 |
| Mississippi | $80,870 | 330 |
| Louisiana | $79,580 | 1,200 |
| Maine | $78,600 | 500 |
| Arkansas | $78,190 | 720 |
| New Mexico | $77,720 | 600 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Architects
Architects (BLS SOC 17-1011, except landscape and naval) plan and design houses, factories, office buildings, and other structures. The role requires a professional degree (B.Arch or M.Arch), completion of the Architect Experience Program (AXP), and passage of the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) for state licensure. Principal architects at large firms and design directors at major practices substantially exceed the OEWS median; junior staff and small-practice architects fall closer to it.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $62,300 – $161,420. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are Wyoming, Massachusetts and Maryland. Pay in Wyoming runs 1.6 times the level in New Mexico, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as bachelor's degree, and projects about 6,900 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to grow 4.3% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Architect salary in the US?
How much does a Architect make an hour?
How much do Architects make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Architects the most?
Is the average Architect salary higher than the median?
Is Architect a growing career?
Open positions
Open Architect roles hiring now
Browse current Architect listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 17-1011. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.