Architect
Architectcareers in the U.S. (Architects, Except Landscape and Naval) earn a national median of $99,280 per year (May 2025), with a typical entry of bachelor's degree.
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Architect at a glance
- Median yearly pay
- $99,280
- National estimate · May 2025
- Median hourly
- $48
- Annual median ÷ 2,080 hours
- U.S. workers
- 106.8K
- In the published occupation · May 2025
- Typical entry
- Bachelor's degree
- Usual entry-level education (BLS OOH)
The education path
Degrees that lead here
The usual starting education for architect is bachelor's degree. Compare that with what programs are actually available online.
How to become a
How to become a Architect
A architect career in the United States is what the Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks as the occupation Architects, Except Landscape and Naval. The route in is straightforward: start with the education BLS reports as typical, compare that with the online programs that lead to the role, and use the pay figures below as a realistic starting point.
The education path
BLS reports the typical entry point for architect as a bachelor's degree. A bachelor's degree is typically about four years of study and is the most common point of entry for the occupation.
That degree is the standard first step, and it is the level most online programs are built around. Students cover general requirements first, then the major coursework tied to the occupation, and many move from a two-year program into a full bachelor's degree without starting over.
The directory's finder routes for architecture & construction set up a general program search, so you can compare what is actually available online before committing to a level.
What the work pays
Nationally, the occupation Architects, Except Landscape and Naval reported a median of $99,280 per year in the May 2025 OEWS estimate. BLS derives an hourly figure from a standard 2,080-hour year, which puts this career at about $48 per hour.
Across the country, the published occupation counts 106,770 workers, reported nationally as Architects, Except Landscape and Naval for the 2025 reference year. A national median is a snapshot of the whole occupation, not a promise for one job, offer, or region.
Ways in and what comes next
The direct route in matches the published entry level: a bachelor's degree. From there, most progression happens on the job, and pay typically rises with experience within the band above.
Careers that sit next to architect in the same field are worth comparing before you commit, including General Contractor at $79,920 per year, Construction Foreman Manager at $79,920 per year, Building Project Manager at $79,920 per year. Each has its own page with the same published-source pay band, so the comparison is apples to apples.
Already thinking about switching? The degree finder asks what you enjoy and what you want from a career, then returns programs that match your answers. Nothing in the results is ordered by payment, and no school can buy a higher position.
The honest version
Every figure on this page comes from published BLS data or the career directory behind the site; nothing is estimated, interpolated, or inflated. Verify anything that matters to your decision against the sources linked above, then run the finder to see which online programs fit your level, field, and timeline.
Questions people ask
How much does a architect earn?
The published BLS OEWS median for the occupation Architects, Except Landscape and Naval is $99,280 per year (May 2025), about $48 per hour at the standard 2,080-hour year.
How many architect jobs exist in the United States?
106,770 workers were counted nationally in the occupation Architects, Except Landscape and Naval for the 2025 OEWS reference year.
What education do you need to become a architect?
The published typical entry-level education is a bachelor's degree. A bachelor's degree is typically about four years of study and is the most common point of entry for the occupation.
How long does it take to become a architect?
From the published entry point (a bachelor's degree), the time depends on the route you choose and whether you study full time, part time, or online. The degree programs that lead here list their own lengths, and transfer credits from earlier study can shorten them.
Which degrees point toward a architect career?
Certificate, associate's, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs can all lead toward this field. The routes that tend to lead here in the directory are Bachelor's programs, Certificate programs, Associate's programs, and the degree finder preloads your level and subject so you can see what is actually available online.
See which online programs lead to Architect
Answer a few questions about your level, subject, and goals. The finder skips what is already answered and shows programs that actually match.
Programs for Architect
Find programs for ArchitectIn Architecture & Construction
Careers close to Architect
About this career page
Median pay, hourly pay, employment, and percentile ranges are the national estimates published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics through the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program for the 2025 reference year. Architect is grouped with the published occupation “Architects, Except Landscape and Naval”.
Typical entry-level education follows the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Pay varies by state, employer, and experience, and a national median is never a promise for your specific job or region.
Every figure on this page is real and labelled with its year. No figure is estimated, interpolated, or inflated.
- Source
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Directory updated
- November 2026