Architecture & Engineering
Architects
SOC 17-1011
Design buildings that are safe, functional, and worth looking at, then see them built.
The job
Median pay
$99k
$78k to $127k typical range
Outlook, 2025 to 2035
Growing fast
+4.3% projected
Openings a year
7k
BLS projection
Typical education
Bachelor's plus license
Our model
AI displacement risk
Low
How much of this job AI may do instead of the person
Works with AI
42/100
AI alongside the person rather than instead of them
AI exposure
78th pct
More exposed than 78% of occupations · modeled estimate · 62nd pct in Microsoft's data
Future-proof
63/100
Key skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Monitoring
Pay and jobs by state
BLS OEWS May 2025, 51 states. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's.
| State | Jobs | Per 1,000 | vs national | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 13,270 | 0.7 | 1.1× | $109k |
| New York | 10,360 | 1.1 | 1.6× | $99k |
| Texas | 7,820 | 0.6 | 0.8× | $94k |
| Florida | 5,580 | 0.6 | 0.8× | $96k |
| Illinois | 5,130 | 0.8 | 1.2× | $82k |
| Massachusetts | 4,590 | 1.3 | 1.8× | $117k |
| Pennsylvania | 3,760 | 0.6 | 0.9× | $97k |
| Washington | 3,720 | 1.0 | 1.5× | $100k |
| Ohio | 3,480 | 0.6 | 0.9× | $95k |
| Colorado | 3,290 | 1.1 | 1.7× | $102k |
All 51 states
| State | Jobs | Per 1,000 | vs national | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 2,980 | 0.6 | 0.9× | $96k |
| Michigan | 2,630 | 0.6 | 0.9× | $88k |
| Tennessee | 2,570 | 0.8 | 1.1× | $94k |
| Georgia | 2,440 | 0.5 | 0.7× | $100k |
| New Jersey | 2,390 | 0.6 | 0.8× | $100k |
| Minnesota | 2,340 | 0.8 | 1.2× | $100k |
| Missouri | 2,150 | 0.7 | 1.1× | $98k |
| Virginia | 2,130 | 0.5 | 0.8× | $98k |
| Oregon | 2,050 | 1.0 | 1.5× | $99k |
| Maryland | 1,800 | 0.7 | 0.9× | $115k |
| Washington DC | 1,700 | 2.4 | 3.5× | $102k |
| Arizona | 1,550 | 0.5 | 0.7× | $102k |
| Utah | 1,520 | 0.9 | 1.3× | $96k |
| Indiana | 1,430 | 0.4 | 0.7× | $96k |
| Wisconsin | 1,230 | 0.4 | 0.6× | $99k |
| Connecticut | 1,200 | 0.7 | 1.0× | $104k |
| Louisiana | 1,200 | 0.6 | 0.9× | $80k |
| South Carolina | 1,030 | 0.4 | 0.7× | $102k |
| Alabama | 990 | 0.5 | 0.7× | $96k |
| Oklahoma | 910 | 0.5 | 0.8× | $100k |
| Idaho | 850 | 1.0 | 1.4× | $94k |
| Kansas | 840 | 0.6 | 0.8× | $85k |
| Arkansas | 720 | 0.6 | 0.8× | $78k |
| Iowa | 650 | 0.4 | 0.6× | $97k |
| Kentucky | 630 | 0.3 | 0.5× | $98k |
| Nebraska | 620 | 0.6 | 0.9× | $92k |
| Hawaii | 600 | 1.0 | 1.4× | $102k |
| New Mexico | 600 | 0.7 | 1.0× | $78k |
| Montana | 550 | 1.1 | 1.6× | $97k |
| Rhode Island | 550 | 1.1 | 1.6× | $105k |
| Nevada | 530 | 0.3 | 0.5× | $102k |
| Maine | 500 | 0.8 | 1.1× | $79k |
| Mississippi | 330 | 0.3 | 0.4× | $81k |
| Vermont | 320 | 1.1 | 1.5× | $82k |
| North Dakota | 290 | 0.7 | 1.0× | $97k |
| New Hampshire | 250 | 0.4 | 0.5× | $101k |
| Alaska | 210 | 0.6 | 0.9× | $109k |
| South Dakota | 180 | 0.4 | 0.6× | $103k |
| Wyoming | 130 | 0.5 | 0.7× | $121k |
| Delaware | 120 | 0.2 | 0.4× | $97k |
| West Virginia | 80 | 0.1 | 0.2× | $96k |
Top metro areas
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ10,240 jobs · $100k median
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA4,870 jobs · $104k median
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN4,460 jobs · $82k median
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH3,930 jobs · $119k median
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA3,780 jobs · $127k median
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV3,020 jobs · $102k median
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA2,970 jobs · $101k median
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX2,580 jobs · $94k median
Explore the rankings
Explore Architects interactively →Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.