Architects, Except Landscape and Naval pay in California
$121,910avg. a year
$58.61 an hour · 13,270 employed
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval in California earn an average of $121,910 a year. That is $15,650 (15%) more than the U.S. average of $106,260. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $142,170.
$108,540Median pay
$58.61Average hourly
+26%Avg. pay since 2020
#1Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for architects, except landscape and naval by metro area. Swipe to see all 18.
1660 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$142,170
$68.35 an hour
23,780 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$131,300
$63.13 an hour
3640 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$124,740
$59.97 an hour
41,280 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$123,640
$59.44 an hour
560 jobs
Redding, CA
$118,650
$57.04 an hour
630 jobs
Modesto, CA
$116,700
$56.11 an hour
7100 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$116,030
$55.79 an hour
84,870 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$115,940
$55.74 an hour
9150 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$115,070
$55.32 an hour
1070 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$113,900
$54.76 an hour
11220 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$112,050
$53.87 an hour
1260 jobs
Salinas, CA
$108,590
$52.21 an hour
13410 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$107,870
$51.86 an hour
14180 jobs
Fresno, CA
$107,700
$51.78 an hour
15140 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$105,180
$50.57 an hour
1640 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$105,160
$50.56 an hour
1740 jobs
Visalia, CA
$102,850
$49.45 an hour
1890 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$102,390
$49.23 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California architects, except landscape and naval work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $98k$98k–$103k$103k–$110k$110k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $106,260 | $51.09 |
| California | $121,910 | $58.61 |
| Nevada | $110,250 | $53.01 |
| Arizona | $105,840 | $50.88 |
| Oregon | $100,940 | $48.53 |
Related jobs in California
- Surveyors$110,220
- Landscape Architects$110,360
- Civil Engineers$124,540
- Industrial Engineers$125,850
- Mechanical Engineers$136,660
- Electrical Engineers$151,180
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do architects, except landscape and naval make in California?
The average is $121,910 a year, and the median is $108,540. That is $15,650 (15%) more than the U.S. average of $106,260.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$58.61 an hour on average; the median is $52.19.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($142,170), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($131,300). The lowest average among 18 metro areas with data is San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA ($102,390).
How does California rank?
California ranks #1 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 17-1011. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national architects, except landscape and naval page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.