Architects, Except Landscape and Naval Salary
The median pay for a architects, except landscape and naval in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA is $126,550/year ($60.84/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $79K at the entry level to $200K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 115.61), so that salary is closer to $109,463 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,604/month, about 48.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $127K get you in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont’s Regional Price Parity (115.61). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About architects, except landscape and navals
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What this looks like in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont sits well above the national pay line for architects, except landscape and naval, local pay runs about 27% higher than the U.S. median of $99K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,604/month, which is 48.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 16% above the national average (BEA RPP 115.61), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for architects, except landscape and navals in metros near San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $104K | $92K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $120K | $107K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $130K | $117K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $126K | $118K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
Entry-level architects, except landscape and navals (10th percentile) start around $79K. Mid-career wages sit at $127K. Top earners bring in $200K or more, a $121K spread from bottom to top.
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Architects, Except Landscape and Naval salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $121K | +21% | 130 |
| Massachusetts | $117K | +18% | 4,590 |
| Maryland | $115K | +15% | 1,800 |
| Alaska | $109K | +10% | 210 |
| California | $109K | +9% | 13,270 |
| Rhode Island | $105K | +6% | 550 |
| Connecticut | $104K | +4% | 1,200 |
| South Dakota | $103K | +3% | 180 |
| Colorado | $102K | +3% | 3,290 |
| Hawaii | $102K | +3% | 600 |
| District of Columbia | $102K | +3% | 1,700 |
| Arizona | $102K | +3% | 1,550 |
| Nevada | $102K | +2% | 530 |
| South Carolina | $102K | +2% | 1,030 |
| New Hampshire | $101K | +2% | 250 |
| Georgia | $100K | +1% | 2,440 |
| Oklahoma | $100K | +1% | 910 |
| Washington | $100K | +1% | 3,720 |
| Minnesota | $100K | +1% | 2,340 |
| New Jersey | $100K | +1% | 2,390 |
| New York | $99K | +0% | 10,360 |
| Oregon | $99K | -0% | 2,050 |
| Wisconsin | $99K | -1% | 1,230 |
| Missouri | $98K | -1% | 2,150 |
| Kentucky | $98K | -2% | 630 |
| Virginia | $98K | -2% | 2,130 |
| Montana | $97K | -2% | 550 |
| North Dakota | $97K | -2% | 290 |
| Pennsylvania | $97K | -2% | 3,760 |
| Delaware | $97K | -2% | 120 |
| Iowa | $97K | -2% | 650 |
| West Virginia | $96K | -3% | 80 |
| Florida | $96K | -3% | 5,580 |
| Indiana | $96K | -3% | 1,430 |
| Alabama | $96K | -3% | 990 |
| North Carolina | $96K | -4% | 2,980 |
| Utah | $96K | -4% | 1,520 |
| Ohio | $95K | -4% | 3,480 |
| Texas | $94K | -5% | 7,820 |
| Tennessee | $94K | -5% | 2,570 |
| Idaho | $94K | -6% | 850 |
| Nebraska | $92K | -8% | 620 |
| Michigan | $88K | -11% | 2,630 |
| Kansas | $85K | -14% | 840 |
| Vermont | $82K | -17% | 320 |
| Illinois | $82K | -18% | 5,130 |
| Mississippi | $81K | -19% | 330 |
| Louisiana | $80K | -20% | 1,200 |
| Maine | $79K | -21% | 500 |
| Arkansas | $78K | -21% | 720 |
| New Mexico | $78K | -22% | 600 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track architects, except landscape and naval salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a architects, except landscape and naval afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $127K, rent takes 48.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,604/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for architects, except landscape and navals in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new architects, except landscape and navals typically earn — is $79K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,739/month. At HUD’s $3,604/month FMR, rent would take 76% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is architects, except landscape and naval a high-paying job in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
Local pay is 27% above the national median — $127K here vs. $99K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 16% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont compare to the national average for architects, except landscape and navals?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont pays $127K median vs. the U.S. average of $99K — that’s +27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 115.61), the purchasing-power equivalent is $109K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do architects, except landscape and navals make in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
The median is $126,550 a year, that works out to about $61 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $78,990, and experienced architects, except landscape and navals can clear $200,380. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $127K enough to live in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,445/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,604/month, which eats 48.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a architects, except landscape and naval salary go in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont has a Regional Price Parity of 115.61 (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 $109,463 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do architects, except landscape and navals get paid the most?
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.