SOC 17-1011 · May 2025 · United States
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval
National figures, with pay broken out by state and metro area
The median wage for Architects, Except Landscape and Naval across the United States is $99,280 per year, measured over 106,770 jobs. The highest state median is in Wyoming, at $120,580.
National wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +3.9%
- Openings per year
- 7,800
- Typical entry-level education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
10.5% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Where the pay is highest for Architects, Except Landscape and Naval
Pay for this occupation varies by 55.1% between the highest and lowest paying states with published data. Wyoming pays $120,580 and New Mexico pays $77,720.
| # | State | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $120,580 | 130 | |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $117,330 | 4,590 | |
| 3 | Maryland | $114,550 | 1,800 | |
| 4 | Alaska | $108,730 | 210 | |
| 5 | California | $108,540 | 13,270 | |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $105,160 | 550 | |
| 7 | Connecticut | $103,540 | 1,200 | |
| 8 | South Dakota | $102,500 | 180 | |
| 9 | Colorado | $102,400 | 3,290 | |
| 10 | Hawaii | $102,340 | 600 |
States with the most Architects, Except Landscape and Naval jobs
| # | State | Jobs | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 13,270 | $108,540 | |
| 2 | New York | 10,360 | $99,280 | |
| 3 | Texas | 7,820 | $94,490 | |
| 4 | Florida | 5,580 | $96,240 | |
| 5 | Illinois | 5,130 | $81,780 | |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 4,590 | $117,330 | |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 3,760 | $97,030 | |
| 8 | Washington | 3,720 | $100,190 | |
| 9 | Ohio | 3,480 | $94,960 | |
| 10 | Colorado | 3,290 | $102,400 |
Top-paying metro areas
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose | $129,640 | 660 |
| 2 | San Francisco | $126,550 | 3,780 |
| 3 | Sacramento | $125,980 | 640 |
| 4 | Modesto | $124,810 | 30 |
| 5 | Barnstable Town | $120,460 | 180 |
| 6 | Redding | $120,060 | 60 |
| 7 | San Diego | $120,040 | 1,280 |
| 8 | Boston | $119,120 | 3,930 |
| 9 | Baltimore | $115,960 | 1,140 |
| 10 | Rapid City | $115,600 | 40 |
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.