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How much salary does a typical Architect make?

I'm talking about a degreed, certified Architect. I'm getting some indication that they don't make as much as college professors. Is this true? Anyone have real life information?
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Matt’s Answer

The median salary for a new graduate in Dallas, TX is around $50,000 (payscale.com). This number is skewed towards larger firms, if you were to work for a very small firm it would drop significantly.


If you have obtain a Master's degree and spend the next several years pursuing becoming a licensed architect the salary prospects grow. The median salary for an Architect V (licensed architect 10+ years experience payscale.com) is around $82,000. If you continue and become a project manager or a firm principal or the salary range grows even higher.


Architecture can be a rewarding profession, but it is demanding and rises and falls with the economy. You will need to have a true passion for it to advance.


Tenured college professors can certainly earn high salaries depending on which field of study, but those positions are becoming more and more scarce. It also usually requires a PHD in the chosen field. This often requires you to be a student into your late 20's or early 30's. If you are not able to obtain a tenure track teaching position at a university you can expect drastically lower salary prospects.

Matt recommends the following next steps:

I suggest researching the steps to becoming a registered architect, they are extensive and it is a lengthy process.
I would also suggest that you research the steps to becoming a tenure track college professor, they are also extensive and an even lengthier process.
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Virginia’s Answer

Hi Joseph!


I do not know if that is ultimately true... at least not everywhere. I am sure that there are some college professors who get paid a higher salary than some licensed architects, and vice versa. For example, I’m sure a professor who teaches surgery gets paid more than an architect who might own his own small architecture firm with small projects. There could also be an architect who has multi million dollar projects, large firm, and can get paid higher than a college professor who teaches, I don’t know, literature for example. There’s also a difference in pay by location. Everything varies.

It is great that you are getting opinions about different professions, and I encourage it, but do also keep an open mind of the possibilities because sometimes opinions can be discouraging. I agree with an answer from another person’s comments that you need to find what you love. You do not want to commit to a profession that you don’t like but are just doing it for the pay, it just might not be as fulfilling. Wish you the best!

Virginia recommends the following next steps:

Check different career paths, evaluate what they do in their work
Look into possible internships or summer programs with different professions so maybe you can get different experiences
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Deborah’s Answer

Work in architecture requires an energy and motivation that goes beyond the salary. Do what you love and you'll be happy!

Deborah recommends the following next steps:

I suggest to look at glassdoor.com for the latest report on salaries per state and years of experience.
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