Architectural Designer (Level) Salary in the United States

How much does an Architectural Designer (Level) make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for an Architectural Designer (Level) in the United States is $66,086 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $32.

However, an Architectural Designer (Level)'s salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $86,165
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $57,102 to $76,596
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $48,921
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Paid Annually Paid Monthly Paid Semimonthly Paid Biweekly Paid Weekly Paid Hourly
View as table View as graph 25% $57,102 10% $48,921 90% $86,165 75% $76,596 $66,086 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Architectural Designer (Level) Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $76,596 $6,383 $1,473 $37
Average $66,086 $5,507 $1,271 $32
25th Percentile $57,102 $4,758 $1,098 $27
Check out Architectural Designer (Level) Job Openings in the United States
User Experience Designer

M9 Solutions - WASHINGTON, DC

User Experience Engineer Designer

Northrop Grumman - HUNTSVILLE, AL

Designer Level

Northrop Grumman - ROCKET CENTER, WV

Designer Level

Northrop Grumman - ROCKET CENTER, WV

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Key Factors That Influence Architectural Designer (Level) Salaries

An Architectural Designer (Level)'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 Architectural Designer (Level) Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Architectural Designer (Level)'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): $63,897
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $78,271
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $94,897
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $130,160
  • Expert (over 8 years): $157,939
Levels Salary
Architect... Level Architectural Designer (Level)$63,897
Motion Gr... Level Architectural Designer (Level)$78,271
Motion Gr... Level Architectural Designer (Level)$94,897
Motion Gr... Level Architectural Designer (Level)$130,160
Motion Gr... Level Architectural Designer (Level)$157,939
$63,897 0 yr
$78,271 < 2 yrs
$94,897 2-4 yrs
$130,160 5-8 yrs
$157,939 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Architectural Designer (Level) 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 Architectural Designer (Level)s. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $73,171.
  • California: $72,893.
  • Massachusetts: $71,922.

Top Paying Cities for Architectural Designer (Level)s

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: $83,355
  • San Francisco: $82,535
  • Oakland: $80,705

What Skills Can Increase an Architectural Designer (Level)'s Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Initiative (Mentioned in 6.13% Job Postings): Taking decisive action and initiating plans independently to address problems, improve professional life, and achieve goals.
  • Motion Graphics (Mentioned in 4.25% Job Postings): Motion Graphics is essentially graphic design made video. This style combines sound, text, charts, symbols, and animation, to convey hard data and written information in a compelling and clear way.
  • Software Design (Mentioned in 1.86% Job Postings): Software design is the process by which an agent creates a specification of a software artifact, intended to accomplish goals, using a set of primitive components and subject to constraints. Software design may refer to either "all the activity involved in conceptualizing, framing, implementing, commissioning, and ultimately modifying complex systems" or "the activity following requirements specification and before programming, as ... [in] a stylized software engineering process." Software design usually involves problem solving and planning a software solution. This includes both a low-level component and algorithm design and a high-level, architecture design.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Initiative 6.13%
Motion Graphics 4.25%
Software Design 1.86%
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 Architectural Designer (Level)'s salary.
  • Product Design: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Product Design
 $74,017
12%
Commitment
 $71,373
8%
Consulting
 $70,712
7%
Insight
 $70,051
6%
Analysis
 $70,051
6%
Motion Graphics
 $69,391
5%
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How Education impacts an Architectural Designer (Level)'s Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Architectural Designer (Level)s enter the field with a No Diploma 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 Architectural Designer (Level) with a No Diploma is between $54,202 and $59,919).

Architectural Designer (Level) Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Architectural Designer (Level)
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 10.0%
High School 10.0%
Associates 10.0%
Bachelors 67.0%
Masters 12.2%
Doctorate 0.8%
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Architectural Designer (Level) Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Architectural Designer (Level)'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.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on January 01, 2026
$57,102
Average $66,086/year
$76,596
$4,758
Average $5,507/month
$6,383
$1,098
Average $1,271/week
$1,473
$27
Average $32/hour
$37
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $76,596 $6,383 $1,473 $37
Average $66,086 $5,507 $1,271 $32
25th Percentile $57,102 $4,758 $1,098 $27

Salaries of jobs related to Architectural Designer (Level)

Salary Trends for Architectural Designer (Level)

Salaries for an Architectural Designer (Level) can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $57,827 in 2023 to around $57,295 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Architectural Designer (Level) salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Architectural Designer (Level) Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$57,827
2024
$57,665
2025
$57,295
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $57,827
2024 $57,665
2025 $57,295
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Architectural Designer (Level)

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Architectural Designer (Level)

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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.)

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