Architects, Except Landscape and Naval Salary

Yes — at the median salary of $109K, rent takes 19.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,376/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.

The 10th-percentile wage — what new architects, except landscape and navals typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,659/month. At HUD’s $1,376/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.

Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $109K locally vs. $99K nationally, a 10% difference.

Anchorage pays $109K median vs. the U.S. average of $99K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $103K — still ahead of the national median.

The median is $108,720 a year, that works out to about $52 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,980, and experienced architects, except landscape and navals can clear $146,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,073/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,376/month, which eats 19.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.

Anchorage has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median architects, except landscape and naval salary is worth about $103,130 in national-average purchasing power.

The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.