SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Plan and design structures, such as private residences, office buildings, theaters, factories, and other structural property. Excludes “Landscape Architects” (17-1012) and “Marine Engineers and Naval Architects” (17-2121).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 17-1011.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $62,300 | $5,192 | $1,198 | $29.95 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $77,960 | $6,497 | $1,499 | $37.48 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $99,280 | $8,273 | $1,909 | $47.73 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $126,550 | $10,546 | $2,434 | $60.84 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $161,420 | $13,452 | $3,104 | $77.61 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Architects, Except Landscape and Naval is $99,280, which is 95% higher. Among the 36 occupations of the field Architecture and Engineering, it ranks number 18 by median pay. With 106,770 jobs, it makes up about 6.9 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval pay by state
The highest median pay was in Wyoming ($120,580), Massachusetts ($117,330) and Maryland ($114,550). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($60,120), Guam ($69,990) and New Mexico ($77,720). The most jobs were in California (13,270), New York (10,360) and Texas (7,820). The occupation is most concentrated in District of Columbia, where its share of all jobs is 3.5 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | 130 | $120,580 | $118,920 | $57.97 |
| Massachusetts | 4,590 | $117,330 | $119,100 | $56.41 |
| Maryland | 1,800 | $114,550 | $119,770 | $55.07 |
| Alaska | 210 | $108,730 | $108,080 | $52.27 |
| California | 13,270 | $108,540 | $121,910 | $52.19 |
| Rhode Island | 550 | $105,160 | $110,140 | $50.56 |
| Connecticut | 1,200 | $103,540 | $109,710 | $49.78 |
| South Dakota | 180 | $102,500 | $105,360 | $49.28 |
| Colorado | 3,290 | $102,400 | $110,290 | $49.23 |
| Hawaii | 600 | $102,340 | $96,790 | $49.20 |
| District of Columbia | 1,700 | $102,040 | $113,890 | $49.06 |
| Arizona | 1,550 | $102,000 | $105,840 | $49.04 |
| Nevada | 530 | $101,570 | $110,250 | $48.83 |
| South Carolina | 1,030 | $101,550 | $103,670 | $48.82 |
| New Hampshire | 250 | $101,100 | $98,040 | $48.61 |
| Georgia | 2,440 | $100,420 | $114,600 | $48.28 |
| Oklahoma | 910 | $100,350 | $106,770 | $48.25 |
| Washington | 3,720 | $100,190 | $100,740 | $48.17 |
| Minnesota | 2,340 | $99,940 | $102,620 | $48.05 |
| New Jersey | 2,390 | $99,800 | $118,250 | $47.98 |
| New York | 10,360 | $99,280 | $111,890 | $47.73 |
| Oregon | 2,050 | $98,800 | $100,940 | $47.50 |
| Wisconsin | 1,230 | $98,510 | $102,000 | $47.36 |
| Missouri | 2,150 | $98,490 | $102,460 | $47.35 |
| Kentucky | 630 | $97,680 | $97,670 | $46.96 |
| Virginia | 2,130 | $97,680 | $105,970 | $46.96 |
| Montana | 550 | $97,290 | $99,110 | $46.77 |
| North Dakota | 290 | $97,110 | $101,930 | $46.69 |
| Delaware | 120 | $97,030 | $108,290 | $46.65 |
| Pennsylvania | 3,760 | $97,030 | $98,700 | $46.65 |
| Iowa | 650 | $96,810 | $104,150 | $46.54 |
| West Virginia | 80 | $96,470 | $97,480 | $46.38 |
| Florida | 5,580 | $96,240 | $100,170 | $46.27 |
| Indiana | 1,430 | $96,060 | $107,810 | $46.19 |
| Alabama | 990 | $95,990 | $110,110 | $46.15 |
| North Carolina | 2,980 | $95,700 | $104,270 | $46.01 |
| Utah | 1,520 | $95,590 | $103,260 | $45.96 |
| Ohio | 3,480 | $94,960 | $99,370 | $45.65 |
| Texas | 7,820 | $94,490 | $98,910 | $45.43 |
| Tennessee | 2,570 | $94,030 | $98,970 | $45.21 |
| Idaho | 850 | $93,710 | $96,010 | $45.05 |
| Nebraska | 620 | $91,530 | $96,580 | $44.01 |
| Michigan | 2,630 | $88,430 | $93,870 | $42.51 |
| Kansas | 840 | $85,490 | $94,030 | $41.10 |
| Vermont | 320 | $82,400 | $88,410 | $39.61 |
| Illinois | 5,130 | $81,780 | $92,840 | $39.32 |
| Mississippi | 330 | $80,870 | $102,820 | $38.88 |
| Louisiana | 1,200 | $79,580 | $92,460 | $38.26 |
| Maine | 500 | $78,600 | $86,550 | $37.79 |
| Arkansas | 720 | $78,190 | $83,980 | $37.59 |
| New Mexico | 600 | $77,720 | $81,770 | $37.37 |
| Guam | 40 | $69,990 | $85,760 | $33.65 |
| Puerto Rico | 790 | $60,120 | $67,020 | $28.91 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Mechanical Engineers$104,110 a year
- Industrial Engineers$102,440 a year
- Civil Engineers$100,840 a year
- Agricultural Engineers$98,590 a year
- Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians$82,890 a year
- Cartographers and Photogrammetrists$81,390 a year
Common questions
How much do Architects, Except Landscape and Naval earn in the United States?
The median pay was $99,280 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $62,300 and the highest-paid 10% more than $161,420.
How many people work as Architects, Except Landscape and Naval?
About 106,770 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.