Best states for a chief architect

Q: What is the best state for chief architects?

The best state to be a chief architect is Washington based on chief architect salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for chief architects?

The highest paying state for chief architects is Hawaii based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for chief architects?

The worst state for chief architects is Hawaii, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Do you want to become a chief architect at IBM, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for chief architects that you can check out, before you begin your journey. Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of chief architects in America is $255,000.

In order to get you the best states for chief architects, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.If you are currently seeking employment as a chief architect, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for chief architects in 2026

1. Washington
Total chief architect jobs: 1,137
Average annual salary: $180,399
Lowest 10 percent earn: $127,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $254,000
Location Quotient:
1.12
Chief architect jobs in Washington
2. North Dakota
Total chief architect jobs: 153
Average annual salary: $163,796
Lowest 10 percent earn: $114,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $235,000
Location Quotient:
1.18
Chief architect jobs in North Dakota
3. Arizona
Total chief architect jobs: 802
Average annual salary: $171,771
Lowest 10 percent earn: $117,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $250,000
Location Quotient:
0.99
Chief architect jobs in Arizona
4. California
Total chief architect jobs: 5,077
Average annual salary: $179,049
Lowest 10 percent earn: $125,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $255,000
Location Quotient:
1.25
Chief architect jobs in California
5. Nevada
Total chief architect jobs: 288
Average annual salary: $161,724
Lowest 10 percent earn: $109,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $238,000
Location Quotient:
0.99
Chief architect jobs in Nevada
6. Massachusetts
Total chief architect jobs: 1,635
Average annual salary: $165,605
Lowest 10 percent earn: $115,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $237,000
Location Quotient:
1.28
Chief architect jobs in Massachusetts
7. Oregon
Total chief architect jobs: 813
Average annual salary: $162,569
Lowest 10 percent earn: $111,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $236,000
Location Quotient:
1.41
Chief architect jobs in Oregon
8. Idaho
Total chief architect jobs: 208
Average annual salary: $163,199
Lowest 10 percent earn: $111,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $238,000
Location Quotient:
0.91
Chief architect jobs in Idaho
9. New Hampshire
Total chief architect jobs: 198
Average annual salary: $164,831
Lowest 10 percent earn: $114,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $236,000
Location Quotient:
0.81
Chief architect jobs in New Hampshire
10. Alaska
Total chief architect jobs: 83
Average annual salary: $168,919
Lowest 10 percent earn: $119,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $238,000
Location Quotient:
0.72
Chief architect jobs in Alaska

Chief architect jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a chief architect

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a chief architect

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Washington	$180,399	$127,000	7,405,743	1,137
2	North Dakota	$163,796	$114,000	755,393	153
3	Arizona	$171,771	$117,000	7,016,270	802
4	California	$179,049	$125,000	39,536,653	5,077
5	Nevada	$161,724	$109,000	2,998,039	288
6	Massachusetts	$165,605	$115,000	6,859,819	1,635
7	Oregon	$162,569	$111,000	4,142,776	813
8	Idaho	$163,199	$111,000	1,716,943	208
9	New Hampshire	$164,831	$114,000	1,342,795	198
10	Alaska	$168,919	$119,000	739,795	83
11	Wyoming	$155,805	$105,000	579,315	69
12	West Virginia	$161,648	$110,000	1,815,857	106
13	Utah	$148,154	$98,000	3,101,833	547
14	Virginia	$153,265	$103,000	8,470,020	1,986
15	Texas	$148,449	$96,000	28,304,596	3,372
16	North Carolina	$146,881	$97,000	10,273,419	1,384
17	Wisconsin	$152,352	$102,000	5,795,483	525
18	Alabama	$152,993	$100,000	4,874,747	346
19	Connecticut	$149,747	$101,000	3,588,184	555
20	Mississippi	$153,467	$101,000	2,984,100	104
21	New Jersey	$149,567	$101,000	9,005,644	1,301
22	Pennsylvania	$144,889	$97,000	12,805,537	1,578
23	Vermont	$146,018	$99,000	623,657	126
24	Michigan	$146,392	$98,000	9,962,311	832
25	Delaware	$148,446	$99,000	961,939	170
26	Colorado	$150,973	$100,000	5,607,154	781
27	Rhode Island	$139,882	$94,000	1,059,639	259
28	New Mexico	$144,561	$94,000	2,088,070	206
29	Tennessee	$143,141	$93,000	6,715,984	478
30	Arkansas	$142,914	$92,000	3,004,279	247
31	Kentucky	$144,506	$95,000	4,454,189	285
32	District of Columbia	$142,674	$95,000	693,972	761
33	Iowa	$145,151	$96,000	3,145,711	263
34	Nebraska	$142,919	$94,000	1,920,076	222
35	Illinois	$139,805	$92,000	12,802,023	1,864
36	Montana	$139,589	$93,000	1,050,493	149
37	Missouri	$139,750	$91,000	6,113,532	637
38	New York	$138,567	$92,000	19,849,399	2,030
39	South Carolina	$140,232	$91,000	5,024,369	357
40	Kansas	$139,544	$90,000	2,913,123	263
41	Maryland	$135,877	$90,000	6,052,177	1,050
42	Georgia	$136,320	$87,000	10,429,379	1,451
43	Indiana	$136,560	$89,000	6,666,818	524
44	Minnesota	$134,358	$89,000	5,576,606	821
45	Ohio	$128,721	$84,000	11,658,609	1,116
46	South Dakota	$130,803	$86,000	869,666	84
47	Maine	$133,817	$90,000	1,335,907	117
48	Louisiana	$136,038	$86,000	4,684,333	224
49	Oklahoma	$133,623	$85,000	3,930,864	195
50	Florida	$119,520	$73,000	20,984,400	1,808
51	Hawaii	$118,631	$77,000	1,427,538	97

Highest paying states for chief architects

Rank	State	Avg. Chief Architect Salary
1	Washington	$180,399
2	North Dakota	$163,796
3	Arizona	$171,771
4	California	$179,049
5	Nevada	$161,724
6	Massachusetts	$165,605
7	Oregon	$162,569
8	Idaho	$163,199
9	New Hampshire	$164,831
10	Alaska	$168,919
11	Wyoming	$155,805
12	West Virginia	$161,648
13	Utah	$148,154
14	Virginia	$153,265
15	Texas	$148,449
16	North Carolina	$146,881
17	Wisconsin	$152,352
18	Alabama	$152,993
19	Connecticut	$149,747
20	Mississippi	$153,467
21	New Jersey	$149,567
22	Pennsylvania	$144,889
23	Vermont	$146,018
24	Michigan	$146,392
25	Delaware	$148,446
26	Colorado	$150,973
27	Rhode Island	$139,882
28	New Mexico	$144,561
29	Tennessee	$143,141
30	Arkansas	$142,914
31	Kentucky	$144,506
32	District of Columbia	$142,674
33	Iowa	$145,151
34	Nebraska	$142,919
35	Illinois	$139,805
36	Montana	$139,589
37	Missouri	$139,750
38	New York	$138,567
39	South Carolina	$140,232
40	Kansas	$139,544
41	Maryland	$135,877
42	Georgia	$136,320
43	Indiana	$136,560
44	Minnesota	$134,358
45	Ohio	$128,721
46	South Dakota	$130,803
47	Maine	$133,817
48	Louisiana	$136,038
49	Oklahoma	$133,623
50	Florida	$119,520
51	Hawaii	$118,631

Chief architect best states FAQs

What is the best state for chief architects?

What is the highest paying state for chief architects?

What is the worst state for chief architects?

Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.

Search for chief architect jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse computer and mathematical jobs

Total chief architect jobs:	1,137
Average annual salary:	$180,399
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$127,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$254,000
Location Quotient:	1.12

Best states for a chief architect

10 best states for chief architects in 2026

1. Washington

2. North Dakota

3. Arizona

4. California

5. Nevada

6. Massachusetts

7. Oregon

8. Idaho

9. New Hampshire

10. Alaska