How much does an architect make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $47.73 an hour or $8,273 a month.
- Hourly
- $47.73
- Average (mean)
- $106,300
- Jobs
- 106,770
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $62,300 | $29.95 | |
| 25th | $77,960 | $37.48 | |
| Median | $99,280 | $47.73 | |
| 75th | $126,600 | $60.84 | |
| 90th | $161,400 | $77.61 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| Wyoming | $120,600 |
| Massachusetts | $117,300 |
| Maryland | $114,600 |
| Alaska | $108,700 |
| California | $108,500 |
| Rhode Island | $105,200 |
| Connecticut | $103,500 |
| South Dakota | $102,500 |
| Colorado | $102,400 |
| Hawaii | $102,300 |
| District of Columbia | $102,000 |
| Arizona | $102,000 |
| Nevada | $101,600 |
| South Carolina | $101,600 |
| New Hampshire | $101,100 |
| Georgia | $100,400 |
| Oklahoma | $100,400 |
| Washington | $100,200 |
| Minnesota | $99,940 |
| New Jersey | $99,800 |
| New York | $99,280 |
| Oregon | $98,800 |
| Wisconsin | $98,510 |
| Missouri | $98,490 |
| Kentucky | $97,680 |
| Virginia | $97,680 |
| Montana | $97,290 |
| North Dakota | $97,110 |
| Delaware | $97,030 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,030 |
| Iowa | $96,810 |
| West Virginia | $96,470 |
| Florida | $96,240 |
| Indiana | $96,060 |
| Alabama | $95,990 |
| North Carolina | $95,700 |
| Utah | $95,590 |
| Ohio | $94,960 |
| Texas | $94,490 |
| Tennessee | $94,030 |
| Idaho | $93,710 |
| Nebraska | $91,530 |
| Michigan | $88,430 |
| Kansas | $85,490 |
| Vermont | $82,400 |
| Illinois | $81,780 |
| Mississippi | $80,870 |
| Louisiana | $79,580 |
| Maine | $78,600 |
| Arkansas | $78,190 |
| New Mexico | $77,720 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| San Jose, CA | $129,600 |
| San Francisco, CA | $126,600 |
| Sacramento, CA | $126,000 |
| Modesto, CA | $124,800 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $120,500 |
| Redding, CA | $120,100 |
| San Diego, CA | $120,000 |
| Boston, MA | $119,100 |
| Baltimore, MD | $116,000 |
| Rapid City, SD | $115,600 |
| Amherst Town, MA | $114,900 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $111,200 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $111,100 |
| Appleton, WI | $111,000 |
| Trenton, NJ | $109,100 |
In other countries
Architect belongs to the international group "Building architects".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
- Landscape Architect$79,870
- Cartographer and Photogrammetrist$81,390
- Surveyor$75,440
Frequently asked questions
How much does an architect make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $47.73 ($99,280 a year).
How much does an architect make a month?
About $8,273 a month before tax, based on a median of $99,280 a year.
How much does an architect make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $62,300 or less a year ($29.95 an hour); the top 10% make $161,400 or more.
Which state pays architects the most?
Wyoming, with a median of $120,600 a year, followed by Massachusetts ($117,300) and Maryland ($114,600).
Which city pays architects the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, with a median of $129,600 a year.
How many architects are there in the United States?
About 106,770 people work as architects.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.