Architects, Except Landscape and Naval salary in the U.S.
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval in the U.S. earn a median of $99,280 a year ($47.73 an hour), based on BLS data for 106,770 workers.
Pay ranges from $62,300 for the lowest-paid 10% to $161,420 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $106,260, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for architects, except landscape and naval in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $62,300 | $29.95 |
| 25th percentile | $77,960 | $37.48 |
| Median | $99,280 | $47.73 |
| 75th percentile | $126,550 | $60.84 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $161,420 | $77.61 |
| Average (mean) | $106,260 | $51.09 |
Half of architects, except landscape and naval earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $8,273.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,136.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,818.46 |
| Weekly | $1,909.23 |
| Hourly | $47.73 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| District of Columbia | $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 |
| Delaware | $97,030 | 120 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,030 | 3,760 |
| 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 |
| Guam | $69,990 | 40 |
| Puerto Rico | $60,120 | 790 |
Best-paying metro areas for architects, except landscape and naval
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $129,640 | 660 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $126,550 | 3,780 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $125,980 | 640 |
| Modesto, CA | $124,810 | 30 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $120,460 | 180 |
| Redding, CA | $120,060 | 60 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $120,040 | 1,280 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $119,120 | 3,930 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $115,960 | 1,140 |
| Rapid City, SD | $115,600 | 40 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $114,880 | 60 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $111,200 | 40 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $111,070 | 100 |
| Appleton, WI | $110,990 | 40 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $109,140 | 200 |
Metro areas with the most architects, except landscape and naval
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 10,240 | $99,710 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 4,870 | $104,170 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 4,460 | $81,790 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 3,930 | $119,120 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 3,780 | $126,550 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 3,020 | $102,080 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,970 | $100,610 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,580 | $93,840 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,360 | $97,590 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 2,330 | $98,140 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 2,090 | $104,090 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,950 | $100,960 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,940 | $103,330 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 1,810 | $97,500 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1,700 | $100,490 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Surveyor | $75,440 | $36.27 |
| Landscape Architect | $79,870 | $38.40 |
| Cartographers and Photogrammetrists | $81,390 | $39.13 |
| Civil Engineer | $100,840 | $48.48 |
| Industrial Engineer | $102,440 | $49.25 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $104,110 | $50.05 |
| Electrical Engineer | $120,630 | $58.00 |
| Engineers, All Other | $122,930 | $59.10 |
| Architectural and Civil Drafters | $66,150 | $31.80 |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | $130,220 | $62.60 |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $78,190 | $37.59 |
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $161,740 | $77.76 |
| Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $66,120 | $31.79 |
| Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $64,950 | $31.23 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 17-1011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a architects, except landscape and naval make in the U.S.?
The median salary for architects, except landscape and naval in the U.S. is $99,280 a year, or $47.73 an hour. Pay ranges from $62,300 for the lowest-paid 10% to $161,420 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid architects, except landscape and naval make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of architects, except landscape and naval in the U.S. earn at least $161,420 a year. The top 25% earn $126,550 or more.
What is the starting pay for architects, except landscape and naval in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $62,300 a year, and a quarter of architects, except landscape and naval earn $77,960 or less.
How many architects, except landscape and naval work in the U.S.?
About 106,770 architects, except landscape and naval are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.