Engineering · 70 Cities Ranked

Highest Paying Cities for Architect (2025)

The median Architect salary is $129,640 in San Jose, CA, the highest-paying city for this role. After adjusting for cost of living, Oklahoma City, OK offers the best purchasing power at $117,780 adjusted.

The 70 cities below are ranked by median wage for Architect, drawn from BLS OEWS. Top-of-list cities typically combine high local labor demand with above-baseline cost-of-living, so the gross-wage ranking partly reflects COL adjustment. Reading the ranking carefully: gross median wage is the headline number, but the cost-adjusted figure (which divides by the city's cost-of-living index) tells a different story for high-COL cities. The ranking sorts on gross wage; the per-city pages surface the adjusted figure.

For workers evaluating Architect relocation, the top of the ranking is the obvious starting point — but the bottom of the list (low gross wage, low COL) is often where cost-adjusted real income is highest. The role-specific pages link to per-city detail.

$99,726

National Median

$129,640

Highest City

$75,600

Lowest City

Cities Ranked

Ranked by Median Salary

Rank	City	Median	Range (10th-90th)	COL Index	COL-Adjusted	Jobs
1	San Jose, CA	$129,640	$80,040, $229,250	195.8	$66,210	660
2	San Francisco, CA	$126,550	$78,990, $200,380	179.6	$70,462	3,780
3	Sacramento, CA	$125,980	$77,670, $171,050	124.7	$101,026	640
4	San Diego, CA	$120,040	$76,130, $164,830	160.2	$74,931	1,280
5	Boston, MA	$119,120	$83,220, $161,740	152.1	$78,317	3,930
6	Baltimore, MD	$115,960	$68,770, $181,280	114.2	$101,541	1,140
7	Bakersfield, CA	$111,070	$73,100, $165,020	100.6	$110,408	100
8	Anchorage, AK	$108,720	$60,980, $146,950	127	$85,606	140
9	Providence, RI	$105,300	$75,960, $163,060	119.4	$88,191	690
10	Bridgeport, CT	$105,140	$75,960, $168,840	137.5	$76,465	470
11	Reno, NV	$104,990	$64,070, $156,080	106.5	$98,582	110
12	Los Angeles, CA	$104,170	$75,640, $164,530	166	$62,753	4,870
13	Denver, CO	$104,090	$77,820, $172,700	112.8	$92,278	2,090
14	Phoenix, AZ	$103,900	$72,240, $138,170	100.7	$103,178	1,240
15	Atlanta, GA	$103,330	$71,660, $198,350	99.2	$104,163	1,940
16	Greenville, SC	$103,090	$61,970, $157,660	90.1	$114,417	290
17	Indianapolis, IN	$103,050	$53,960, $222,810	90.1	$114,373	780
18	Washington, DC	$102,080	$75,650, $166,190	152.8	$66,806	3,020
19	Hartford, CT	$102,080	$72,100, $144,780	112.6	$90,657	370
20	Oklahoma City, OK	$101,880	$56,050, $173,100	86.5	$117,780	480
21	Minneapolis, MN	$100,960	$64,480, $140,230	106.2	$95,066	1,950
22	Louisville, KY	$100,760	$64,510, $134,760	90.2	$111,707	220
23	Seattle, WA	$100,610	$73,840, $130,490	149.4	$67,343	2,970
24	Portland, OR	$100,490	$74,100, $132,920	130.1	$77,241	1,700
25	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$100,460	$66,540, $169,660	122.4	$82,075	410
26	Fresno, CA	$100,360	$71,330, $156,680	105.5	$95,128	180
27	Nashville, TN	$100,050	$66,030, $156,810	100.3	$99,751	1,270
28	Kansas City, MO	$99,920	$61,340, $167,560	95.4	$104,738	1,250
29	Salt Lake City, UT	$99,790	$56,300, $161,050	101.4	$98,412	1,040
30	Tulsa, OK	$99,740	$54,910, $162,790	86.8	$114,908	350
31	New York, NY	$99,710	$65,500, $168,490	187.2	$53,264	10,240
32	Milwaukee, WI	$99,680	$66,710, $150,050	97.4	$102,341	500
33	Omaha, NE	$99,350	$55,640, $172,650	91.8	$108,224	410
34	Las Vegas, NV	$99,320	$64,590, $161,770	109	$91,119	400
35	Jacksonville, FL	$99,230	$62,620, $155,910	95.1	$104,343	380
36	Madison, WI	$99,210	$68,860, $142,710	103.8	$95,578	310
37	Columbus, OH	$99,140	$62,220, $167,110	93.1	$106,488	960
38	Tucson, AZ	$98,860	$64,390, $121,830	95.4	$103,627	170
39	St. Louis, MO	$98,800	$60,780, $139,700	90	$109,778	880
40	Cincinnati, OH	$98,750	$61,450, $162,860	91.2	$108,279	670
41	Charlotte, NC	$98,620	$65,690, $165,210	96.7	$101,986	1,340
42	Albany, NY	$98,350	$66,450, $163,100	100.7	$97,666	340
43	Philadelphia, PA	$98,140	$62,770, $156,790	118.4	$82,889	2,330
44	New Orleans, LA	$97,950	$56,280, $157,530	95.9	$102,138	420
45	Detroit, MI	$97,920	$62,440, $147,730	95.1	$102,965	1,350
46	Houston, TX	$97,590	$60,690, $147,470	96.5	$101,130	2,360
47	Miami, FL	$97,500	$60,720, $133,900	123.1	$79,204	1,810
48	Des Moines, IA	$97,460	$61,940, $161,960	93.3	$104,459	310
49	Colorado Springs, CO	$97,080	$61,840, $161,340	104.5	$92,900	170
50	Birmingham, AL	$96,730	$63,720, $210,290	90.4	$107,002	500
51	Austin, TX	$96,600	$62,160, $150,230	103	$93,786	1,120
52	Orlando, FL	$96,190	$61,150, $138,890	103.1	$93,298	1,000
53	Greensboro, NC	$96,040	$61,200, $146,230	91.3	$105,192	90
54	Spokane, WA	$95,910	$62,140, $125,000	97.4	$98,470	180
55	Richmond, VA	$95,860	$60,170, $162,380	102.1	$93,888	410
56	Rochester, NY	$95,480	$66,140, $152,000	92.9	$102,777	230
57	Buffalo, NY	$95,130	$63,130, $158,860	92.5	$102,843	330
58	Tampa, FL	$94,610	$59,990, $157,100	99.6	$94,990	880
59	Knoxville, TN	$94,310	$61,430, $131,170	90.3	$104,441	380
60	Boise, ID	$94,270	$52,110, $157,490	102.1	$92,331	560
61	Memphis, TN	$93,970	$62,990, $149,990	84	$111,869	330
62	Dallas, TX	$93,840	$63,240, $152,330	104.1	$90,144	2,580
63	Lexington, KY	$93,640	$58,590, $131,760	91.3	$102,563	270
64	Raleigh, NC	$91,570	$64,760, $164,820	99.8	$91,754	790
65	San Antonio, TX	$84,130	$59,770, $135,180	91.5	$91,945	670
66	Pittsburgh, PA	$83,460	$61,280, $125,990	92.3	$90,423	830
67	Chicago, IL	$81,790	$60,750, $130,990	107.3	$76,226	4,460
68	Wichita, KS	$79,180	$59,640, $129,610	84	$94,262	220
69	Albuquerque, NM	$76,520	$47,840, $120,090	94	$81,404	410
70	Little Rock, AR	$75,600	$58,930, $107,420	88.2	$85,714	230

Ranked by Purchasing Power (COL-Adjusted)

Cost-of-living adjusted salaries show where your Architect paycheck goes furthest. A lower COL index means your dollars stretch further.

Rank	City	COL-Adjusted	Raw Median	COL Index
1	Oklahoma City, OK	$117,780	$101,880	86.5
2	Tulsa, OK	$114,908	$99,740	86.8
3	Greenville, SC	$114,417	$103,090	90.1
4	Indianapolis, IN	$114,373	$103,050	90.1
5	Memphis, TN	$111,869	$93,970	84
6	Louisville, KY	$111,707	$100,760	90.2
7	Bakersfield, CA	$110,408	$111,070	100.6
8	St. Louis, MO	$109,778	$98,800	90
9	Cincinnati, OH	$108,279	$98,750	91.2
10	Omaha, NE	$108,224	$99,350	91.8
11	Birmingham, AL	$107,002	$96,730	90.4
12	Columbus, OH	$106,488	$99,140	93.1
13	Greensboro, NC	$105,192	$96,040	91.3
14	Kansas City, MO	$104,738	$99,920	95.4
15	Des Moines, IA	$104,459	$97,460	93.3
16	Knoxville, TN	$104,441	$94,310	90.3
17	Jacksonville, FL	$104,343	$99,230	95.1
18	Atlanta, GA	$104,163	$103,330	99.2
19	Tucson, AZ	$103,627	$98,860	95.4
20	Phoenix, AZ	$103,178	$103,900	100.7
21	Detroit, MI	$102,965	$97,920	95.1
22	Buffalo, NY	$102,843	$95,130	92.5
23	Rochester, NY	$102,777	$95,480	92.9
24	Lexington, KY	$102,563	$93,640	91.3
25	Milwaukee, WI	$102,341	$99,680	97.4
26	New Orleans, LA	$102,138	$97,950	95.9
27	Charlotte, NC	$101,986	$98,620	96.7
28	Baltimore, MD	$101,541	$115,960	114.2
29	Houston, TX	$101,130	$97,590	96.5
30	Sacramento, CA	$101,026	$125,980	124.7
31	Nashville, TN	$99,751	$100,050	100.3
32	Reno, NV	$98,582	$104,990	106.5
33	Spokane, WA	$98,470	$95,910	97.4
34	Salt Lake City, UT	$98,412	$99,790	101.4
35	Albany, NY	$97,666	$98,350	100.7
36	Madison, WI	$95,578	$99,210	103.8
37	Fresno, CA	$95,128	$100,360	105.5
38	Minneapolis, MN	$95,066	$100,960	106.2
39	Tampa, FL	$94,990	$94,610	99.6
40	Wichita, KS	$94,262	$79,180	84
41	Richmond, VA	$93,888	$95,860	102.1
42	Austin, TX	$93,786	$96,600	103
43	Orlando, FL	$93,298	$96,190	103.1
44	Colorado Springs, CO	$92,900	$97,080	104.5
45	Boise, ID	$92,331	$94,270	102.1
46	Denver, CO	$92,278	$104,090	112.8
47	San Antonio, TX	$91,945	$84,130	91.5
48	Raleigh, NC	$91,754	$91,570	99.8
49	Las Vegas, NV	$91,119	$99,320	109
50	Hartford, CT	$90,657	$102,080	112.6
51	Pittsburgh, PA	$90,423	$83,460	92.3
52	Dallas, TX	$90,144	$93,840	104.1
53	Providence, RI	$88,191	$105,300	119.4
54	Little Rock, AR	$85,714	$75,600	88.2
55	Anchorage, AK	$85,606	$108,720	127
56	Philadelphia, PA	$82,889	$98,140	118.4
57	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$82,075	$100,460	122.4
58	Albuquerque, NM	$81,404	$76,520	94
59	Miami, FL	$79,204	$97,500	123.1
60	Boston, MA	$78,317	$119,120	152.1
61	Portland, OR	$77,241	$100,490	130.1
62	Bridgeport, CT	$76,465	$105,140	137.5
63	Chicago, IL	$76,226	$81,790	107.3
64	San Diego, CA	$74,931	$120,040	160.2
65	San Francisco, CA	$70,462	$126,550	179.6
66	Seattle, WA	$67,343	$100,610	149.4
67	Washington, DC	$66,806	$102,080	152.8
68	San Jose, CA	$66,210	$129,640	195.8
69	Los Angeles, CA	$62,753	$104,170	166
70	New York, NY	$53,264	$99,710	187.2

Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose, CA pays the highest median Architect salary at $129,640. However, after cost-of-living adjustment, Oklahoma City, OK offers the most purchasing power at $117,780 adjusted.

The national median Architect salary is $99,726 based on BLS data. Salaries range from $75,600 to $129,640 depending on city.

Not necessarily. A city with higher nominal pay may have a higher cost of living that offsets the salary difference. Compare the "COL-Adjusted" column in both tables above, cities with lower costs of living often offer better real purchasing power.