Best states for a design architect

Q: What is the best state for design architects?

The best state to be a design architect is Illinois based on design architect salaries and job opportunities.

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

The highest paying state for design architects is Arkansas based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for design architects?

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

Quoted expert

Ross Weinreb

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Design architect opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for design architects, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for design architects.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for design architects. We found that Illinois is the best state in the nation for design architects, and people in Falmouth earn the most in the field.

To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for design architects.If you are currently seeking employment as a design architect, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for design architects in 2025

1. Illinois
Total design architect jobs: 1,964
Average annual salary: $97,744
Lowest 10 percent earn: $61,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $154,000
Location Quotient:
1.24
Design architect jobs in Illinois
2. Wyoming
Total design architect jobs: 85
Average annual salary: $90,942
Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $149,000
Location Quotient:
1.06
Design architect jobs in Wyoming
3. Michigan
Total design architect jobs: 1,077
Average annual salary: $89,226
Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $140,000
Location Quotient:
1.04
Design architect jobs in Michigan
4. North Dakota
Total design architect jobs: 186
Average annual salary: $85,919
Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $135,000
Location Quotient:
1.5
Design architect jobs in North Dakota
5. Colorado
Total design architect jobs: 899
Average annual salary: $91,874
Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $151,000
Location Quotient:
1.13
Design architect jobs in Colorado
6. Rhode Island
Total design architect jobs: 126
Average annual salary: $94,152
Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $146,000
Location Quotient:
0.78
Design architect jobs in Rhode Island
7. New Hampshire
Total design architect jobs: 228
Average annual salary: $91,253
Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $140,000
Location Quotient:
0.98
Design architect jobs in New Hampshire
8. Washington
Total design architect jobs: 1,299
Average annual salary: $89,253
Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $152,000
Location Quotient:
1.33
Design architect jobs in Washington
9. Missouri
Total design architect jobs: 741
Average annual salary: $90,130
Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000
Location Quotient:
0.95
Design architect jobs in Missouri
10. Massachusetts
Total design architect jobs: 869
Average annual salary: $97,814
Lowest 10 percent earn: $63,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $151,000
Location Quotient:
0.71
Design architect jobs in Massachusetts

Design architect jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a design architect

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

Detailed list of the best states for a design architect

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Illinois	$97,744	$61,000	12,802,023	1,964
2	Wyoming	$90,942	$55,000	579,315	85
3	Michigan	$89,226	$56,000	9,962,311	1,077
4	North Dakota	$85,919	$54,000	755,393	186
5	Colorado	$91,874	$55,000	5,607,154	899
6	Rhode Island	$94,152	$60,000	1,059,639	126
7	New Hampshire	$91,253	$59,000	1,342,795	228
8	Washington	$89,253	$52,000	7,405,743	1,299
9	Missouri	$90,130	$56,000	6,113,532	741
10	Massachusetts	$97,814	$63,000	6,859,819	869
11	Arizona	$86,958	$51,000	7,016,270	945
12	California	$97,057	$57,000	39,536,653	3,653
13	New Mexico	$89,346	$53,000	2,088,070	217
14	District of Columbia	$94,054	$59,000	693,972	262
15	Louisiana	$92,675	$57,000	4,684,333	213
16	Alaska	$90,219	$55,000	739,795	105
17	Maryland	$88,933	$56,000	6,052,177	1,085
18	Ohio	$86,225	$54,000	11,658,609	1,221
19	Utah	$89,406	$53,000	3,101,833	270
20	Kansas	$85,751	$53,000	2,913,123	330
21	Hawaii	$95,337	$65,000	1,427,538	100
22	Maine	$84,929	$55,000	1,335,907	141
23	South Dakota	$84,251	$52,000	869,666	107
24	New York	$85,292	$54,000	19,849,399	1,977
25	Georgia	$81,380	$51,000	10,429,379	1,595
26	Texas	$78,219	$48,000	28,304,596	3,754
27	Pennsylvania	$80,120	$51,000	12,805,537	1,634
28	Alabama	$82,486	$52,000	4,874,747	444
29	Oregon	$83,487	$48,000	4,142,776	558
30	Nevada	$80,242	$46,000	2,998,039	274
31	Connecticut	$78,797	$50,000	3,588,184	594
32	Montana	$78,181	$47,000	1,050,493	163
33	Vermont	$81,436	$53,000	623,657	73
34	Virginia	$83,850	$53,000	8,470,020	885
35	South Carolina	$81,104	$51,000	5,024,369	414
36	Indiana	$79,371	$50,000	6,666,818	618
37	North Carolina	$73,581	$46,000	10,273,419	1,510
38	West Virginia	$79,168	$50,000	1,815,857	110
39	Minnesota	$77,072	$48,000	5,576,606	943
40	Iowa	$77,345	$48,000	3,145,711	350
41	Mississippi	$78,721	$49,000	2,984,100	132
42	Nebraska	$76,255	$47,000	1,920,076	243
43	New Jersey	$70,020	$44,000	9,005,644	1,309
44	Delaware	$71,553	$45,000	961,939	165
45	Wisconsin	$71,785	$45,000	5,795,483	653
46	Idaho	$64,662	$38,000	1,716,943	241
47	Florida	$66,556	$42,000	20,984,400	1,964
48	Tennessee	$68,795	$43,000	6,715,984	515
49	Arkansas	$63,255	$39,000	3,004,279	268
50	Kentucky	$63,924	$40,000	4,454,189	335
51	Oklahoma	$64,491	$39,000	3,930,864	234

Highest paying states for design architects

Rank	State	Avg. Design Architect Salary
1	Illinois	$97,744
2	Wyoming	$90,942
3	Michigan	$89,226
4	North Dakota	$85,919
5	Colorado	$91,874
6	Rhode Island	$94,152
7	New Hampshire	$91,253
8	Washington	$89,253
9	Missouri	$90,130
10	Massachusetts	$97,814
11	Arizona	$86,958
12	California	$97,057
13	New Mexico	$89,346
14	District of Columbia	$94,054
15	Louisiana	$92,675
16	Alaska	$90,219
17	Maryland	$88,933
18	Ohio	$86,225
19	Utah	$89,406
20	Kansas	$85,751
21	Hawaii	$95,337
22	Maine	$84,929
23	South Dakota	$84,251
24	New York	$85,292
25	Georgia	$81,380
26	Texas	$78,219
27	Pennsylvania	$80,120
28	Alabama	$82,486
29	Oregon	$83,487
30	Nevada	$80,242
31	Connecticut	$78,797
32	Montana	$78,181
33	Vermont	$81,436
34	Virginia	$83,850
35	South Carolina	$81,104
36	Indiana	$79,371
37	North Carolina	$73,581
38	West Virginia	$79,168
39	Minnesota	$77,072
40	Iowa	$77,345
41	Mississippi	$78,721
42	Nebraska	$76,255
43	New Jersey	$70,020
44	Delaware	$71,553
45	Wisconsin	$71,785
46	Idaho	$64,662
47	Florida	$66,556
48	Tennessee	$68,795
49	Arkansas	$63,255
50	Kentucky	$63,924
51	Oklahoma	$64,491

Expert opinions on the best states for design architects

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for design architects to find work opportunities?
Ross Weinreb
Instructor | Career Adviser, The Pennsylvania State University
Not that I am aware of. Our Penn State graduates generally find work in the Northeast (Philadelphia, New York, etc.).

Design architect best states FAQs

What is the best state for design architects?

What is the highest paying state for design architects?

What is the worst state for design architects?

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Search for design architect jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse architecture and engineering jobs

Total design architect jobs:	1,964
Average annual salary:	$97,744
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$61,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$154,000
Location Quotient:	1.24

Best states for a design architect

10 best states for design architects in 2025

1. Illinois

2. Wyoming

3. Michigan

4. North Dakota

5. Colorado

6. Rhode Island

7. New Hampshire

8. Washington

9. Missouri

10. Massachusetts