Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$62,300
- 25th Percentile — Junior$77,960
- 50th Percentile — Median$99,280
- 75th Percentile — Senior$126,550
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$161,420
The top 10% of Architects earn $161,420 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $62,300, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| California | $121,910 | +14.7% |
| Maryland | $119,770 | +12.7% |
| Massachusetts | $119,100 | +12.1% |
| Wyoming | $118,920 | +11.9% |
| New Jersey | $118,250 | +11.3% |
| Georgia | $114,600 | +7.8% |
| District of Columbia | $113,890 | +7.2% |
| New York | $111,890 | +5.3% |
| Colorado | $110,290 | +3.8% |
| Nevada | $110,250 | +3.8% |
| Rhode Island | $110,140 | +3.7% |
| Alabama | $110,110 | +3.6% |
| Connecticut | $109,710 | +3.2% |
| Delaware | $108,290 | +1.9% |
| Alaska | $108,080 | +1.7% |
| Indiana | $107,810 | +1.5% |
| Oklahoma | $106,770 | +0.5% |
| Virginia | $105,970 | -0.3% |
| Arizona | $105,840 | -0.4% |
| South Dakota | $105,360 | -0.8% |
| North Carolina | $104,270 | -1.9% |
| Iowa | $104,150 | -2.0% |
| South Carolina | $103,670 | -2.4% |
| Utah | $103,260 | -2.8% |
| Mississippi | $102,820 | -3.2% |
| Minnesota | $102,620 | -3.4% |
| Missouri | $102,460 | -3.6% |
| Wisconsin | $102,000 | -4.0% |
| North Dakota | $101,930 | -4.1% |
| Oregon | $100,940 | -5.0% |
| Washington | $100,740 | -5.2% |
| Florida | $100,170 | -5.7% |
| Ohio | $99,370 | -6.5% |
| Montana | $99,110 | -6.7% |
| Tennessee | $98,970 | -6.9% |
| Texas | $98,910 | -6.9% |
| Pennsylvania | $98,700 | -7.1% |
| New Hampshire | $98,040 | -7.7% |
| Kentucky | $97,670 | -8.1% |
| West Virginia | $97,480 | -8.3% |
| Hawaii | $96,790 | -8.9% |
| Nebraska | $96,580 | -9.1% |
| Idaho | $96,010 | -9.6% |
| Kansas | $94,030 | -11.5% |
| Michigan | $93,870 | -11.7% |
| Illinois | $92,840 | -12.6% |
| Louisiana | $92,460 | -13.0% |
| Vermont | $88,410 | -16.8% |
| Maine | $86,550 | -18.5% |
| Arkansas | $83,980 | -21.0% |
| New Mexico | $81,770 | -23.0% |
What Factors Affect Architects Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Architects is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: California pays an average of $121,910, while New Mexico pays $81,770 — a gap of $40,140 per year.
The middle half of Architects earn between $77,960 and $126,550 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $62,300, while the top 10% earn more than $161,420.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Architects?
The average salary for Architects in the United States is $106,260 per year, with a median of $99,280.
What is the starting salary for Architects?
Entry-level Architects typically earn between $62,300 and $77,960 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Architects the most?
California pays Architects the most at $121,910 per year on average, followed by Maryland ($119,770) and Massachusetts ($119,100).
How much do Architects make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $106,260, Architects earn approximately $51.09 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Architects a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 106,770 Architects jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $106,260 and a median of $99,280 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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