Many people are drawn to architecture as a profession because it opens up possibilities for designing structures that can have a lasting impact on society. But few people are aware that factors such as location, experience level, clientele, and economic conditions, play an important role in determining the earning potential of an architect.
So, how much do architects make?
Read on to find the answer and everything related to the average architect salary in the US, including facts and stats on the highest-paying states and cities.
Architect Salary Statistics (Highlights)
- The median salary for architects is $82,840 per year as of May 2022.
- Employment growth in the architecture industry between 2021 and 2031 is set at 3%.
- Architects make an average of $46.40 per hour.
- Women architects make 83 cents for every dollar earned by men.
- Commercial architects are the highest-paid, receiving an average salary of $91,130 per year.
- Norman Foster is the highest-paid architect in the world, with a net worth of $240 million.
How Much Do Architects Make?
Architects make from $51,310 to $136,400. The salary of an architect depends on factors such as the level of experience, location, and the size and type of firm they work for.
According to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2022, the median salary for architects was $82,840 per year, representing a minimal increase compared to the year before, when it stood at $80,180. The best-paid 25% earned $105,190, while the lowest-paid 25% made $62,220.
Despite the fact that wages in the industry increased, projections about the occupation for the next decade point to a slower growth rate in terms of employability. In fact, employment growth until 2031 is set at 3%, translating to around 9,100 job openings for architects per year.
If you’re interested in studying architecture or you’re having second thoughts on whether this is the right career choice, you should know that passing the Architect Registration Examination is a must. Also, significant architecture salary bumps apply for licensure and may up the basic salary by up to 10%.
How Much Do Architects Make an Hour?
Architects make an average of $46.40 per hour. Other sources report that the hourly salaries of architects range between $27 and $32, with $29 being the average.
Officially, the median hourly architect salary in the US was $38.55 in May 2022. Moreover, statistics indicate that 10% of the best-paid architects have an hourly wage of $65.58.
Naturally, hourly wages vary depending on the industry the architect operates in. And so, the best paid hourly average salary for an architect is in the insurance industry, standing at $82.37, which is almost three times higher than the average wage of insurance agents.
Other industries that offer the highest-paying architecture jobs are:
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services – $67.54
- Scientific Research and Development Services – $65.09
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals – $56.73
- Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction – $56.41
- Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) – $50.68
- Nonresidential Building Construction – $46.71
The figures above are in accordance with data from the US Bureau of Labour Statistics, which excludes naval and landscape architects from their official architect salary calculations.
Architect Salary by State
Just like with other professions, the average salaries of architects mainly depend on the economic conditions in the area where they work. For instance, fast-growing areas and states where the construction industry is booming, offer plentiful opportunities for architects and better salaries.
As per the data, the highest annual average salary of an architect in May 2022, was paid in the District of Colombia, and it amounts to $116,990 or an average of $56.25 per hour.
The Centennial State of Colorado comes second with an annual wage of $84,900, and Washington comes in third with $87,140.
Massachusetts and New York are also among the top five best-paying states for architects, where an architect’s salary a year is as high as $106,540 and $103,130, respectively.
Average Salaries of Architects by Area
Architectural services are generally expensive, but in some areas of California and Florida, the hourly architect salary goes as high as $61.70. This not only proves that the state where an architect is employed impacts their income but the area too. As a matter of fact, the highest-paying jobs are typically located in metropolitan areas.
Topping the list of highest architect salaries is the Oakland-Hayward area in San Francisco, California, where salaries go as high as $128,330 a year. The list of best-paying areas for US architects continues with:
- San Hose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California – $119,270
- Atlantic City-Hammonton, New Jersey – $113,940
- Washington-Arlington, Alexandria, District of Colombia – $186,610
- Nashville-Davidson, Murfreesboro, Franklin, Tennessee – $111,870
- Naples, Immokalee, Marco Island, Florida– $111,320
- Reno, Nevada – $111,250
As a comparison, North Valley in California is a nonmetropolitan area with the highest average architect’s salary of $104,690 a year.
How Much Do Architects Make by Gender?
Women architects make 83 cents for every dollar earned by men, making the gender pay gap in architecture and engineering occupations wider than in other industries. This means that women are paid $15,080 less doing the same job as their male counterparts. What’s more, reports say that since 2011, the gender pay gap for architects has widened by 2 cents.
According to a different report, the average architect salary for women is $79,033 a year, while men receive $85,968 a year. The industry is also dominated by men, who occupy 76.7% of the jobs. Only 23.3% of architectural jobs are held by women.
What Type of Architect Is the Highest Paid?
The highest-paid type of architect is commercial and receives an average salary of $91,130 per year. Commercial architects work on designing buildings intended for use as commercial properties, such as office buildings, retail spaces, etc. They may be employed by an architectural firm or a company that works with real estate management.
Who Is the Highest-Paid Architect in the World?
Norman Foster is the highest-paid architect in the world, with a net value of $240 million. Foster is known for his sleek modern buildings made of steel and glass, like The Gerkin, also known as 30 St Mary Axe, the HSBC Main Building, Apple Park, The Millau Viaduct, which is the world’s tallest bridge, and others.
Baron Foster of Thames Bank is also the owner of Foster + Partners, an architectural, engineering, and integrated design company valued at over $500 million dollars.
Do Architects Make Good Money?
Yes, architects make good money. And even though the average architect’s salary of $82,840 has seen an increase of under 1% in the past year, there are still factors that architects can leverage to increase their earning potential.
Licensure, for instance, is a major salary booster. In fact, 74% of employees in architecture firms reported they received some form of salary increase once they received their license.
Architecture firms with more employees offered between 1% and 4% salary premiums to their employees upon licensure, while firms with less than 20 employees increased the salaries of their employees by 5% to 9%.