What are the main factors that influence a Staff Architect's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Staff Architect's salary?

A Staff Architect's salary grows with experience: an Staff Architect (0-2 years)earns $61,120, an Architect II (2-4 years)earns $74,226, an Architect III (4-7 years)earns $91,455, an Architect IV (7+ years)earns $109,421, an Architect V (7-10 years)earns $128,710,

What are the highest paying states for a Staff Architect?

Staff Architect salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Staff Architect roles are District of Columbia $68,157, California $67,899, Massachusetts $66,994. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Staff Architect roles make?

Salaries for Staff Architect level roles vary by specialization: Lead Architect: $177,490; Software Architect Manager: $156,595; Design Architect Manager: $143,800; Project Architect Manager: $143,790; Licensed Architect, Manager: $143,720.

How do different companies affect a Staff Architect's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Staff Architect roles. Large, established industry leaders like Kpmg Us LLP ($114,295) and Warner Bros Discovery ($114,096) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $88,138.

Staff Architect Salary in the United States

How much does a Staff Architect make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Staff Architect in the United States is $61,558 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $30.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $72,940
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $54,704 to $67,516
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $48,463

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Staff Architect Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$67,516	$5,626	$1,298	$32
Average	$61,558	$5,130	$1,184	$30
25th Percentile	$54,704	$4,559	$1,052	$26

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Key Factors That Influence Staff Architect Salaries

A Staff Architect'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 Staff Architect Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Staff Architect'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): $61,120
Early Career (1-2 years): $74,226
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $91,455
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $109,421
Expert (over 8 years): $128,710

Levels	Salary
Staff Arc... Level Staff Architect	$61,120
Architect... Level Staff Architect	$74,226
Architect... Level Staff Architect	$91,455
Architect... Level Staff Architect	$109,421
Architect... Level Staff Architect	$128,710

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Staff Architect 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 Staff Architects. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $68,157.
California: $67,899.
Massachusetts: $66,994.

District of Columbia $68,157 California $67,899 Massachusetts $66,994 Washington $66,748 New Jersey $66,723 Alaska $66,637 Connecticut $65,787 New York $65,443

Hawaii $64,341 Rhode Island $63,824 Maryland $63,473 Minnesota $62,993 Colorado $62,808 Illinois $62,746 Oregon $62,512 Delaware $62,340

New Hampshire $62,232 Virginia $61,989 Pennsylvania $61,281 Nevada $60,924 North Dakota $60,807 Michigan $60,623 Wisconsin $60,555 Vermont $60,419

Texas $60,044 Maine $60,019 Arizona $59,982 Ohio $59,939 Georgia $59,373 Indiana $59,090 Wyoming $59,034 Utah $58,948

Iowa $58,911 Kansas $58,616 Louisiana $58,530 North Carolina $58,499 Missouri $58,486 Florida $58,246 Montana $58,117 Nebraska $57,994

Kentucky $57,926 South Carolina $57,680 Tennessee $57,526 Idaho $57,465 New Mexico $57,015 Oklahoma $56,917 Alabama $56,554 South Dakota $55,944

Arkansas $55,612 West Virginia $55,433 Mississippi $54,898

Top Paying Cities for Staff Architects

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: $77,643
San Francisco: $76,793
Oakland: $75,175

San Jose, CA $77,643

San Francisco, CA $76,793

Oakland, CA $75,175

New York, NY $70,877

Paramus, NJ $70,016

Queens Village, NY $70,013

Passaic, NJ $69,954

Bergenfield, NJ $69,949

Stamford, CT $69,813

Huntington, NY $69,788

Newark, NJ $69,333

Bridgeport, CT $69,203

Vallejo, CA $69,081

New Brunswick, NJ $69,056

Petaluma, CA $69,019

Middlesex, NJ $68,902

Somerset, NJ $68,859

Santa Cruz, CA $68,779

Boston, MA $68,403

Monterey, CA $68,187

Seattle, WA $68,046

Santa Rosa, CA $68,034

Los Angeles, CA $68,016

Juneau, AK $67,856

Washington, DC $67,788

Orange, CA $67,569

Santa Ana, CA $67,406

Long Beach, CA $67,345

Anaheim, CA $67,332

Anchorage, AK $67,302

Santa Maria, CA $67,117

Everett, WA $67,105

Danbury, CT $66,888

Bremerton, WA $66,803

Tacoma, WA $66,581

New Suffolk, NY $66,580

Sacramento, CA $66,563

Santa Barbara, CA $66,495

Trenton, NJ $66,427

San Diego, CA $66,427

Brockton, MA $66,360

Fairbanks, AK $66,209

Lompoc, CA $66,052

Lowell, MA $66,002

Ventura, CA $65,990

Nashua, NH $65,978

Stockton, CA $65,972

Modesto, CA $65,523

Poughkeepsie, NY $65,387

Olympia, WA $65,270

Kennewick, WA $65,270

New Haven, CT $65,246

Lawrence, MA $65,024

Hartford, CT $64,962

Riverside, CA $64,950

New Bedford, MA $64,888

Richland, WA $64,888

Bakersfield, CA $64,802

San Bernardino, CA $64,778

New Britain, CT $64,772

Atlantic City, NJ $64,772

New London, CT $64,747

Norwich, CT $64,728

Portsmouth, NH $64,716

Boulder, CO $64,586

Portland, OR $64,501

Worcester, MA $64,495

Minneapolis, MN $64,304

Philadelphia, PA $64,218

Honolulu, HI $64,014

Saint Paul, MN $63,985

Vineland, NJ $63,971

Providence, RI $63,793

Chicago, IL $63,614

Bellingham, WA $63,540

Springfield, MA $63,491

Baltimore, MD $63,473

Chico, CA $63,319

Pittsfield, MA $63,153

Manchester, NH $63,036

Spokane, WA $62,765

Denver, CO $62,759

Albany, NY $62,469

Troy, NY $62,445

Nassau, NY $62,379

Schenectady, NY $62,315

Wilmington, DE $62,266

Burlington, VT $62,180

Salem, OR $62,155

Portland, ME $61,964

Yakima, WA $61,903

Rochester, MN $61,712

Reno, NV $61,681

Fresno, CA $61,681

Milwaukee, WI $61,626

Detroit, MI $61,564

Ann Arbor, MI $61,554

Allentown, PA $61,546

Colorado Springs, CO $61,441

Syracuse, NY $61,410

Carson City, NV $61,410

Houston, TX $61,324

Eugene, OR $61,293

Gary, IN $61,220

Springfield, OR $61,170

Bismarck, ND $61,158

Galveston, TX $61,115

Medford, OR $61,023

Fort Collins, CO $60,998

Concord, NH $60,967

Austin, TX $60,949

Mesa, AZ $60,820

Reading, PA $60,813

Phoenix, AZ $60,807

Dallas, TX $60,789

Saint Cloud, MN $60,730

Madison, WI $60,647

Utica, NY $60,481

Rochester, NY $60,382

Des Moines, IA $60,376

Raleigh, NC $60,370

Atlanta, GA $60,278

Battle Creek, MI $60,259

Salt Lake City, UT $60,241

Lancaster, PA $60,149

Harrisburg, PA $60,062

Kansas City, MO $60,001

Champaign, IL $59,988

Kansas City, KS $59,988

Fort Worth, TX $59,982

Columbus, OH $59,972

Boca Raton, FL $59,958

Pittsburgh, PA $59,933

Richmond, VA $59,908

Indianapolis, IN $59,896

Cleveland, OH $59,890

Las Vegas, NV $59,816

Cincinnati, OH $59,816

Petersburg, VA $59,724

Huntsville, AL $59,631

Lansing, MI $59,590

Lebanon, PA $59,582

Pueblo, CO $59,576

Appleton, WI $59,558

Buffalo, NY $59,533

Dayton, OH $59,514

Racine, WI $59,502

Charlotte, NC $59,496

Saint Louis, MO $59,478

York, PA $59,441

Elkhart, IN $59,441

Gastonia, NC $59,429

Billings, MT $59,414

Beaumont, TX $59,398

Lorain, OH $59,385

Benton Harbor, MI $59,373

Toledo, OH $59,361

Binghamton, NY $59,330

Rock Hill, SC $59,324

Rockford, IL $59,293

Springfield, IL $59,268

Elyria, OH $59,262

Fargo, ND $59,262

Flagstaff, AZ $59,219

Fort Lauderdale, FL $59,182

Duluth, MN $59,145

Miami, FL $59,145

Cheyenne, WY $59,102

Grand Forks, ND $59,102

Bangor, ME $58,967

Cedar Rapids, IA $58,899

Durham, NC $58,873

Louisville, KY $58,868

Grand Rapids, MI $58,856

Hialeah, FL $58,850

Casper, WY $58,763

Scranton, PA $58,690

New Orleans, LA $58,671

Virginia Beach, VA $58,665

Akron, OH $58,634

Peoria, IL $58,554

Sarasota, FL $58,542

Nashville, TN $58,499

Omaha, NE $58,499

Green Bay, WI $58,499

Baton Rouge, LA $58,468

Charleston, SC $58,456

Jamestown, NY $58,425

Davenport, IA $58,425

Tucson, AZ $58,394

Saint Petersburg, FL $58,357

Tampa, FL $58,345

Evansville, IN $58,308

Port Arthur, TX $58,308

Bradenton, FL $58,283

Santa Fe, NM $58,172

Orlando, FL $58,062

Clearwater, FL $58,043

Canton, OH $57,914

La Crosse, WI $57,914

Albuquerque, NM $57,877

Newport News, VA $57,871

High Point, NC $57,852

Ogden, UT $57,828

Corpus Christi, TX $57,779

Norfolk, VA $57,742

Laramie, WY $57,742

Rock Island, IL $57,705

Saginaw, MI $57,692

Jacksonville, FL $57,686

Salisbury, NC $57,674

Boise, ID $57,662

Moline, IL $57,631

Fort Myers, FL $57,612

Memphis, TN $57,600

Tulsa, OK $57,569

Waterloo, IA $57,532

Spartanburg, SC $57,471

Lincoln, NE $57,440

Fort Wayne, IN $57,428

Provo, UT $57,421

Cedar Falls, IA $57,348

San Antonio, TX $57,323

Greensboro, NC $57,298

South Bend, IN $57,292

Savannah, GA $57,225

Muskegon, MI $57,200

Birmingham, AL $57,194

Winston Salem, NC $57,164

Lake Charles, LA $57,015

Anderson, IN $57,003

Lexington, KY $56,984

Augusta, GA $56,966

Greenville, SC $56,966

Lima, OH $56,917

Wichita, KS $56,911

Tuscaloosa, AL $56,911

Columbia, SC $56,855

Springfield, OH $56,843

Asheville, NC $56,744

Bloomington, IN $56,701

Knoxville, TN $56,480

Shreveport, LA $56,473

Wilmington, NC $56,393

Roanoke, VA $56,393

Topeka, KS $56,283

Frankfort, KY $56,276

Oklahoma City, OK $56,233

Chillicothe, OH $56,209

Longview, TX $56,203

Melbourne, FL $56,196

Sioux Falls, SD $56,098

Mobile, AL $56,092

Terre Haute, IN $56,067

Altoona, PA $56,030

Amarillo, TX $55,987

Killeen, TX $55,969

Fayetteville, AR $55,919

Chattanooga, TN $55,901

Sioux City, IA $55,846

Idaho Falls, ID $55,833

Lynchburg, VA $55,784

Gainesville, FL $55,704

Portsmouth, OH $55,673

Little Rock, AR $55,661

Lafayette, LA $55,636

Youngstown, OH $55,636

Daytona Beach, FL $55,599

Clarksville, TN $55,593

Pensacola, FL $55,587

Temple, TX $55,583

Hopkinsville, KY $55,402

Erie, PA $55,390

Florence, SC $55,365

Charleston, WV $55,267

Great Falls, MT $55,236

Macon, GA $55,150

Tallahassee, FL $55,144

Fayetteville, NC $55,132

Waco, TX $55,119

Helena, MT $55,076

Pine Bluff, AR $55,053

Vincennes, IN $54,978

Lubbock, TX $54,953

Alamogordo, NM $54,916

Twin Falls, ID $54,861

Rapid City, SD $54,842

Jackson, MS $54,731

Huntington, WV $54,727

Greenville, MS $54,725

Parkersburg, WV $54,662

Montgomery, AL $54,651

Wichita Falls, TX $54,590

Springfield, MO $54,590

Biloxi, MS $54,559

Monroe, LA $54,497

Johnstown, PA $54,454

Sumter, SC $54,430

Columbus, GA $54,424

Pascagoula, MS $54,307

Abilene, TX $54,307

Kingsport, TN $54,147

Albany, GA $54,147

Gulfport, MS $54,128

Alexandria, LA $53,925

Fort Smith, AR $53,771

El Paso, TX $53,605

Las Cruces, NM $53,328

Harlingen, TX $53,172

Pocatello, ID $53,162

Florence, AL $53,082

Brownsville, TX $53,069

Mcallen, TX $52,940

Dothan, AL $52,854

Columbus, MS $52,488

Altus, OK $52,201

Lawton, OK $52,084

Pierre, SD $51,863

What Skills Can Increase a Staff Architect's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Leadership (Mentioned in 5.12% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Adobe (Mentioned in 1.96% Job Postings): A mixture of wet earth and grass made into bricks and dried in the sun, used to build houses. It originated from the oral form of Arabic al-tob, meaning "brick," It is the first materials used to create buildings in the 8th century B.C
Conceptualization (Mentioned in 1.36% Job Postings): Conceptualization is a process that involves coming up with clear, concise definitions. It is the reverse process of conception.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Leadership	5.12%
Adobe	1.96%
Conceptualization	1.36%

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 a Staff Architect's salary.

AWS: Can increase your salary by up to 36%.
Azure: Can increase your salary by up to 33%.
Salesforce: Can increase your salary by up to 26%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
AWS	$83,719	36%
Azure	$81,872	33%
Salesforce	$77,563	26%
Computer Science	$75,101	22%
Java	$73,870	20%
API	$73,870	20%

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Staff Architect Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Staff Architect roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 55% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Construction sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Staff Architect positions in Retail & Wholesale or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Staff Architect as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Staff Architect

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities	$76,948	$37.0	25%
Construction	$73,870	$36.0	20%
Business Services	$64,636	$31.0	5%

How Education impacts a Staff Architect's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Staff Architects 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 a Staff Architect with a Bachelor's Degree is between $65,537 and $68,762).

Staff Architect Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Staff Architect

No Diploma 0.4%

High School 2.2%

Associates 3.0%

Bachelors 47.7%

Masters 45.5%

Doctorate 1.1%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.4%
High School	2.2%
Associates	3.0%
Bachelors	47.7%
Masters	45.5%
Doctorate	1.1%

view as graph

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

Understanding how a Staff Architect'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 July 01, 2026

$54,704

Average $61,558/year

$67,516

$4,559

Average $5,130/month

$5,626

$1,052

Average $1,184/week

$1,298

$26

Average $30/hour

$32

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$67,516	$5,626	$1,298	$32
Average	$61,558	$5,130	$1,184	$30
25th Percentile	$54,704	$4,559	$1,052	$26

Salaries of jobs related to Staff Architect

Salary Trends for Staff Architect

Salaries for a Staff Architect can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $52,573 in 2023 to around $52,540 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Staff Architect salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Staff Architect Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$52,573

2024

$52,790

2025

$52,540

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$52,573
2024	$52,790
2025	$52,540
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Staff Architect

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FAQ about Staff Architect

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

The Energy & Utilities industry offers the highest average compensation for Staff Architect 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.

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