How much does an architect make in San Jose?
$129,600a year
Median yearly pay for architects in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area. That is $62.33 an hour or $10,800 a month.
- Hourly
- $62.33
- Vs. national median
- +31%
- Rank among cities
- 1 of 231
- Jobs in the area
- 660
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $80,040Median: $129,600Highest 10%: $229,300
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $80,040 | $38.48 | |
| 25th | $100,200 | $48.17 | |
| Median | $129,600 | $62.33 | |
| 75th | $168,500 | $81.02 | |
| 90th | $229,300 | $110.22 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for architects.
| San Francisco, CA | $126,600 |
| Sacramento, CA | $126,000 |
| Redding, CA | $120,100 |
| San Diego, CA | $120,000 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $111,100 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $107,300 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $104,200 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $103,800 |
| Oxnard, CA | $102,500 |
| Stockton, CA | $101,500 |
| Riverside, CA | $100,500 |
| Fresno, CA | $100,400 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $99,800 |
| Salinas, CA | $99,600 |
Related jobs in San Jose
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $209,900 |
| Electronics Engineer | $194,400 |
| Electrical Engineer | $187,100 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $181,600 |
| Engineer | $169,700 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $168,000 |
| Materials Engineer | $156,700 |
| Health and Safety Engineer | $143,100 |
| Industrial Engineer | $137,000 |
| Bioengineer and Biomedical Engineer | $136,500 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does an architect make an hour in San Jose?
The median hourly pay in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $62.33 ($129,600 a year).
Do architects make more in San Jose than the national average?
Yes: $129,600 against $99,280 nationally, 31% more.
How does San Jose compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $108,500, so San Jose pays 19% more.
Where does San Jose rank for architect pay?
1 of 231 metro areas with data.
How much does an architect make starting out in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% make $80,040 or less a year; the top 10% make $229,300 or more.
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.