How much does an Architect Sr make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for an Architect Sr in the United States is $93,873 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $45.

However, an Architect Sr's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $110,654
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $85,716 to $102,657
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $78,289

Key Factors That Influence Architect Sr Salaries

An Architect Sr's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Architect Sr Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Architect Sr's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $62,291
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $75,651
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $93,227
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $111,497
  • Expert (over 8 years): $131,127
Levels Salary
Architect... Level Architect Sr$62,291
Architect... Level Architect Sr$75,651
Architect... Level Architect Sr$93,227
Architect... Level Architect Sr$111,497
Architect... Level Architect Sr$131,127

How Do Architect Sr Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Architect Srs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $103,936.
  • California: $103,542.
  • Massachusetts: $102,162.

Top Paying Cities for Architect Srs

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $118,402
  • San Francisco: $117,106
  • Oakland: $114,638

What Skills Can Increase an Architect Sr's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 5.15% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Construction Administration (Mentioned in 2.11% Job Postings): The process that the designer goes through to stay involved during the construction process to help solve problems and assist with delivering high-quality projects.
  • Conceptual Design (Mentioned in 1.31% Job Postings): Conceptual Design is an early phase of the design process, in which the broad outlines of function and form of something are articulated. It includes the design of interactions, experiences, processes and strategies. It involves an understanding of people's needs - and how to meet them with products, services, & processes. Common artifacts of conceptual design are concept sketches and models.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 5.15%
Construction Administration 2.11%
Conceptual Design 1.31%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Architect Sr's salary.

  • API: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Azure: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • ERP: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
API $104,199
11%
Azure $104,199
11%
ERP $103,260
10%

Architect Sr Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Architect Sr roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 45% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit and Construction sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Architect Sr positions in Retail & Wholesale or Business Services typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Architect Sr as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Architect Sr

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit$117,341$56.025%
Construction$103,260$50.010%

How Education impacts an Architect Sr's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Architect Srs enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Architect Sr with a Bachelor's Degree is between $98,345 and $104,968).

Architect Sr Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Architect Sr
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.1%
High School 0.6%
Associates 0.9%
Bachelors 46.0%
Masters 51.6%
Doctorate 0.8%

Architect Sr Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Architect Sr's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$85,716
Average $93,873/year
$102,657
$7,143
Average $7,823/month
$8,555
$1,648
Average $1,805/week
$1,974
$41
Average $45/hour
$49
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $102,657 $8,555 $1,974 $49
Average $93,873 $7,823 $1,805 $45
25th Percentile $85,716 $7,143 $1,648 $41

Most common benefits for Architect Sr

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Architect Sr

Here are companies hiring for Architect Sr and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Architect Sr Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Architect Sr job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Architect Sr

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Architect Sr?

The Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit industry offers the highest average compensation for Architect Sr roles, with salaries approximately 25% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst