Architects, Except Landscape and Naval
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval (SOC 17-1011) earn a median $99,280 a year ($47.73 an hour) in the United States, with 106,770 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Wyoming.
What architects, except landscape and naval do
Architects design buildings such as houses, offices, schools, theaters, and factories, working out how the spaces will be arranged, how the structure will look, and how it will be built. A project can start with meetings in which the architect learns the client's functional and spatial needs, then moves to drawings and plans made with computer-aided design or building information modeling software. The architect also assembles specifications for materials, equipment, estimated costs, and construction time. During construction, architects coordinate with structural, mechanical, and electrical engineers and other specialists so the finished building matches the design, and they review drawings with clients along the way. The occupation is separate from landscape architects, who design outdoor land areas, and from marine engineers and naval architects, who design ships and boats. Their work also involves integrating engineering elements into one unified design and planning the layout of the structure.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Architect, Building Architect, Design Architect, Facilities Planner, Facility Designer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $29.95 | $37.48 | $47.73 | $60.84 | $77.61 | $51.09 | 106,770 |
| Annual | $62,300 | $77,960 | $99,280 | $126,550 | $161,420 | $106,260 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where architects, except landscape and naval earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Wyoming | Hourly | $36.01 | $37.94 | $57.97 | $59.37 | $86.09 | $57.17 | 130 | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $74,890 | $78,910 | $120,580 | $123,500 | $179,070 | $118,920 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $39.87 | $41.85 | $56.41 | $61.44 | $78.40 | $57.26 | 4,590 | 1.26 | 1.84 |
| Annual | $82,920 | $87,050 | $117,330 | $127,780 | $163,060 | $119,100 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $32.85 | $39.08 | $55.07 | $71.49 | $87.68 | $57.58 | 1,800 | 0.65 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $68,320 | $81,280 | $114,550 | $148,700 | $182,370 | $119,770 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $29.32 | $38.14 | $52.27 | $62.50 | $68.91 | $51.96 | 210 | 0.64 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $60,980 | $79,330 | $108,730 | $129,990 | $143,340 | $108,080 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $36.37 | $41.34 | $52.19 | $73.28 | $82.29 | $58.61 | 13,270 | 0.73 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $75,640 | $85,990 | $108,540 | $152,430 | $171,160 | $121,910 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $36.37 | $41.34 | $52.19 | $73.28 | $82.29 | $58.61 | 13,270 | 0.73 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $75,640 | $85,990 | $108,540 | $152,430 | $171,160 | $121,910 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $30.73 | $37.00 | $47.73 | $61.87 | $79.65 | $53.79 | 10,360 | 1.07 | 1.56 |
| Annual | $63,920 | $76,950 | $99,280 | $128,690 | $165,660 | $111,890 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $29.20 | $36.89 | $45.43 | $58.49 | $68.33 | $47.55 | 7,820 | 0.56 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $60,730 | $76,730 | $94,490 | $121,670 | $142,130 | $98,910 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $28.84 | $36.80 | $46.27 | $59.11 | $66.46 | $48.16 | 5,580 | 0.56 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $59,990 | $76,550 | $96,240 | $122,940 | $138,230 | $100,170 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $28.79 | $31.31 | $39.32 | $50.52 | $62.82 | $44.64 | 5,130 | 0.84 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $59,890 | $65,110 | $81,780 | $105,090 | $130,670 | $92,840 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $38.48 | $48.17 | $62.33 | $81.02 | $110.22 | $68.35 | 660 | 0.58 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $80,040 | $100,190 | $129,640 | $168,520 | $229,250 | $142,170 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $37.97 | $44.93 | $60.84 | $79.21 | $96.34 | $63.13 | 3,780 | 1.59 | 2.32 |
| Annual | $78,990 | $93,450 | $126,550 | $164,750 | $200,380 | $131,300 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $37.34 | $47.21 | $60.57 | $73.28 | $82.24 | $59.97 | 640 | 0.60 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $77,670 | $98,200 | $125,980 | $152,420 | $171,050 | $124,740 | ||||
| Modesto, CA | Hourly | $35.94 | $47.23 | $60.00 | $63.94 | $75.53 | $56.11 | 30 | 0.18 | 0.26 |
| Annual | $74,760 | $98,240 | $124,810 | $132,990 | $157,100 | $116,700 | ||||
| Barnstable Town, MA | Hourly | $39.62 | $45.77 | $57.91 | $75.58 | $84.48 | $59.14 | 180 | 1.93 | 2.81 |
| Annual | $82,420 | $95,210 | $120,460 | $157,200 | $175,710 | $123,020 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $31.49 | $37.48 | $47.94 | $62.35 | $81.00 | $54.81 | 10,240 | 1.08 | 1.57 |
| Annual | $65,500 | $77,950 | $99,710 | $129,690 | $168,490 | $114,000 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $36.37 | $38.65 | $50.08 | $63.55 | $79.10 | $55.74 | 4,870 | 0.78 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $75,640 | $80,390 | $104,170 | $132,190 | $164,530 | $115,940 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $29.21 | $31.65 | $39.32 | $50.52 | $62.98 | $44.84 | 4,460 | 0.99 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $60,750 | $65,820 | $81,790 | $105,090 | $130,990 | $93,260 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $40.01 | $41.85 | $57.27 | $61.13 | $77.76 | $57.19 | 3,930 | 1.46 | 2.12 |
| Annual | $83,220 | $87,050 | $119,120 | $127,160 | $161,740 | $118,960 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $37.97 | $44.93 | $60.84 | $79.21 | $96.34 | $63.13 | 3,780 | 1.59 | 2.32 |
| Annual | $78,990 | $93,450 | $126,550 | $164,750 | $200,380 | $131,300 | ||||
Top industries employing architects, except landscape and naval
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services employ 86.3% of architects, except landscape and naval nationally (92,180 jobs) at a median $98,440 a year ($47.33 an hour), followed by Residential Building Construction (2.1%) and Specialized Design Services (1.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 92,180 | 86.3% | $98,440 | $47.33 |
| Residential Building Construction NAICS 236100 | 2,240 | 2.1% | $89,580 | $43.07 |
| Specialized Design Services NAICS 541400 | 1,710 | 1.6% | $96,730 | $46.50 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction NAICS 236200 | 1,580 | 1.5% | $101,790 | $48.94 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 1,570 | 1.5% | $118,440 | $56.94 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (106,770). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $80,180 for architects, except landscape and naval in May 2021 and $99,280 in May 2025, with employment of 100,400 and 106,770.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $80,180 | $38.55 | 100,400 |
| May 2022 | $82,840 | $39.83 | 107,490 |
| May 2023 | $93,310 | $44.86 | 111,170 |
| May 2024 | $96,690 | $46.49 | 111,140 |
| May 2025 | $99,280 | $47.73 | 106,770 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming profile | $57.97 | $120,580 | $74,890 | $179,070 | 130 | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 2 | Massachusetts profile | $56.41 | $117,330 | $82,920 | $163,060 | 4,590 | 1.26 | 1.84 |
| 3 | Maryland profile | $55.07 | $114,550 | $68,320 | $182,370 | 1,800 | 0.65 | 0.95 |
| 4 | Alaska profile | $52.27 | $108,730 | $60,980 | $143,340 | 210 | 0.64 | 0.93 |
| 5 | California profile | $52.19 | $108,540 | $75,640 | $171,160 | 13,270 | 0.73 | 1.06 |
| 6 | Rhode Island profile | $50.56 | $105,160 | $65,270 | $135,170 | 550 | 1.10 | 1.60 |
| 7 | Connecticut profile | $49.78 | $103,540 | $75,440 | $152,020 | 1,200 | 0.71 | 1.03 |
| 8 | South Dakota profile | $49.28 | $102,500 | $61,350 | $162,160 | 180 | 0.39 | 0.57 |
| 9 | Colorado profile | $49.23 | $102,400 | $67,990 | $170,040 | 3,290 | 1.15 | 1.67 |
| 10 | Hawaii profile | $49.20 | $102,340 | $61,080 | $128,680 | 600 | 0.95 | 1.39 |
| 11 | District of Columbia profile | $49.06 | $102,040 | $75,900 | $163,440 | 1,700 | 2.42 | 3.52 |
| 12 | Arizona profile | $49.04 | $102,000 | $68,260 | $138,170 | 1,550 | 0.48 | 0.69 |
| 13 | Nevada profile | $48.83 | $101,570 | $64,590 | $161,080 | 530 | 0.34 | 0.50 |
| 14 | South Carolina profile | $48.82 | $101,550 | $62,010 | $162,240 | 1,030 | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 15 | New Hampshire profile | $48.61 | $101,100 | $63,200 | $133,970 | 250 | 0.37 | 0.53 |
| 16 | Georgia profile | $48.28 | $100,420 | $65,820 | $184,870 | 2,440 | 0.50 | 0.73 |
| 17 | Oklahoma profile | $48.25 | $100,350 | $55,040 | $165,790 | 910 | 0.53 | 0.77 |
| 18 | Washington profile | $48.17 | $100,190 | $70,020 | $130,380 | 3,720 | 1.05 | 1.52 |
| 19 | Minnesota profile | $48.05 | $99,940 | $59,500 | $138,690 | 2,340 | 0.79 | 1.16 |
| 20 | New Jersey profile | $47.98 | $99,800 | $72,870 | $207,650 | 2,390 | 0.56 | 0.81 |
| 21 | New York profile | $47.73 | $99,280 | $63,920 | $165,660 | 10,360 | 1.07 | 1.56 |
| 22 | Oregon profile | $47.50 | $98,800 | $68,820 | $129,880 | 2,050 | 1.04 | 1.52 |
| 23 | Wisconsin profile | $47.36 | $98,510 | $66,710 | $143,330 | 1,230 | 0.42 | 0.61 |
| 24 | Missouri profile | $47.35 | $98,490 | $60,190 | $153,860 | 2,150 | 0.73 | 1.07 |
| 25 | Kentucky profile | $46.96 | $97,680 | $60,980 | $130,490 | 630 | 0.31 | 0.46 |
| 26 | Virginia profile | $46.96 | $97,680 | $65,910 | $164,190 | 2,130 | 0.52 | 0.75 |
| 27 | Montana profile | $46.77 | $97,290 | $61,500 | $139,640 | 550 | 1.08 | 1.57 |
| 28 | North Dakota profile | $46.69 | $97,110 | $75,000 | $137,140 | 290 | 0.68 | 0.99 |
| 29 | Delaware profile | $46.65 | $97,030 | $76,780 | $146,490 | 120 | 0.26 | 0.37 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania profile | $46.65 | $97,030 | $61,690 | $149,950 | 3,760 | 0.62 | 0.90 |
| 31 | Iowa profile | $46.54 | $96,810 | $60,760 | $153,330 | 650 | 0.42 | 0.60 |
| 32 | West Virginia profile | $46.38 | $96,470 | $66,240 | $137,190 | 80 | 0.11 | 0.16 |
| 33 | Florida profile | $46.27 | $96,240 | $59,990 | $138,230 | 5,580 | 0.56 | 0.82 |
| 34 | Indiana profile | $46.19 | $96,060 | $50,790 | $221,430 | 1,430 | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 35 | Alabama profile | $46.15 | $95,990 | $62,980 | $174,870 | 990 | 0.47 | 0.68 |
| 36 | North Carolina profile | $46.01 | $95,700 | $64,730 | $164,270 | 2,980 | 0.60 | 0.88 |
| 37 | Utah profile | $45.96 | $95,590 | $53,250 | $155,980 | 1,520 | 0.88 | 1.28 |
| 38 | Ohio profile | $45.65 | $94,960 | $59,550 | $163,590 | 3,480 | 0.63 | 0.91 |
| 39 | Texas profile | $45.43 | $94,490 | $60,730 | $142,130 | 7,820 | 0.56 | 0.81 |
| 40 | Tennessee profile | $45.21 | $94,030 | $62,930 | $146,290 | 2,570 | 0.78 | 1.14 |
| 41 | Idaho profile | $45.05 | $93,710 | $51,790 | $152,460 | 850 | 0.99 | 1.44 |
| 42 | Nebraska profile | $44.01 | $91,530 | $48,790 | $167,680 | 620 | 0.60 | 0.87 |
| 43 | Michigan profile | $42.51 | $88,430 | $59,850 | $135,520 | 2,630 | 0.60 | 0.87 |
| 44 | Kansas profile | $41.10 | $85,490 | $61,100 | $131,600 | 840 | 0.59 | 0.85 |
| 45 | Vermont profile | $39.61 | $82,400 | $56,990 | $121,530 | 320 | 1.04 | 1.52 |
| 46 | Illinois profile | $39.32 | $81,780 | $59,890 | $130,670 | 5,130 | 0.84 | 1.22 |
| 47 | Mississippi profile | $38.88 | $80,870 | $53,860 | $163,970 | 330 | 0.28 | 0.41 |
| 48 | Louisiana profile | $38.26 | $79,580 | $51,720 | $154,590 | 1,200 | 0.62 | 0.90 |
| 49 | Maine profile | $37.79 | $78,600 | $51,920 | $123,790 | 500 | 0.78 | 1.13 |
| 50 | Arkansas profile | $37.59 | $78,190 | $59,230 | $117,630 | 720 | 0.56 | 0.81 |
| 51 | New Mexico profile | $37.37 | $77,720 | $47,840 | $120,090 | 600 | 0.69 | 1.01 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (17-1010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Architecture and Engineering Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 17-1011 Architects, Except Landscape and Naval.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 17-1011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 17-1011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.