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Lead architect salary
Average lead architect salary
$104,687
Average Lead Architect Salary
The average salary for a Lead Architect is approximately $104,687 per year. This figure reflects the compensation for professionals responsible for designing and managing complex architectural projects. Salaries can vary significantly based on geographic location, years of experience, and the specific sector of employment.
Factors Influencing Salary
Lead Architects working in high-demand areas, such as California or New York, often earn more due to a competitive job market. Additionally, those with advanced degrees or specialized certifications may command higher salaries. Experience plays a crucial role, as seasoned professionals typically see pay increases over time.
Salary by State
In states like California, salaries can reach upwards of $120,000, while areas with a lower cost of living may offer salaries closer to $95,000. Understanding these regional differences is key for prospective Lead Architects aiming to maximize their earnings.
Job Opportunities
Lead Architects have numerous opportunities across various industries, including construction, engineering, and technology. Exploring these sectors can provide valuable insights into the highest-paying positions available.
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Where can a Lead Architect earn more?
Lead architect salary estimates from across the web
Average lead architect salary by state
The highest-paying states for lead architects are California, New Jersey, and Washington. The lowest average lead architect salary states are Kansas, Tennessee, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for lead architects
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $104,657 | $50.32 |
| 2 | California | $118,734 | $57.08 |
| 3 | Nevada | $99,667 | $47.92 |
| 4 | Washington | $105,679 | $50.81 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $116,220 | $55.88 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $106,790 | $51.34 |
| 7 | Montana | $96,349 | $46.32 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $98,173 | $47.20 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $102,787 | $49.42 |
| 10 | Texas | $96,783 | $46.53 |
| 11 | North Carolina | $95,701 | $46.01 |
| 12 | Maryland | $103,078 | $49.56 |
| 13 | Oregon | $97,668 | $46.96 |
| 14 | Georgia | $96,847 | $46.56 |
| 15 | Virginia | $97,851 | $47.04 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $99,834 | $48.00 |
| 17 | Indiana | $96,592 | $46.44 |
| 18 | Michigan | $91,566 | $44.02 |
| 19 | Idaho | $92,657 | $44.55 |
| 20 | Illinois | $95,850 | $46.08 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $91,571 | $44.02 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $94,725 | $45.54 |
| 23 | Vermont | $93,537 | $44.97 |
| 24 | New York | $98,562 | $47.39 |
| 25 | Ohio | $92,261 | $44.36 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $94,393 | $45.38 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $91,243 | $43.87 |
| 28 | Arizona | $93,672 | $45.03 |
| 29 | Delaware | $95,002 | $45.67 |
| 30 | Utah | $90,284 | $43.41 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $93,643 | $45.02 |
| 32 | Iowa | $92,127 | $44.29 |
| 33 | Alaska | $93,182 | $44.80 |
| 34 | Maine | $92,790 | $44.61 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $89,282 | $42.92 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $91,055 | $43.78 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $88,147 | $42.38 |
| 38 | Colorado | $93,895 | $45.14 |
| 39 | Alabama | $88,519 | $42.56 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $89,672 | $43.11 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $86,541 | $41.61 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $90,525 | $43.52 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $87,640 | $42.13 |
| 44 | Kansas | $86,165 | $41.43 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $85,454 | $41.08 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $88,840 | $42.71 |
| 47 | Missouri | $88,546 | $42.57 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $85,687 | $41.20 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $83,758 | $40.27 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $85,515 | $41.11 |
| 51 | Florida | $85,116 | $40.92 |
Highest paying cities for lead architects
The highest-paying cities for lead architects are San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC, and Jersey City, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $128,190 | $61.63 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $116,312 | $55.92 |
| 3 | Jersey City, NJ | $106,873 | $51.38 |
| 4 | Bellevue, WA | $106,181 | $51.05 |
| 5 | Columbia, MD | $103,108 | $49.57 |
| 6 | Hartford, CT | $102,666 | $49.36 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $99,849 | $48.00 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $98,752 | $47.48 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $98,591 | $47.40 |
| 10 | Austin, TX | $97,741 | $46.99 |
| 11 | Richmond, VA | $97,710 | $46.98 |
| 12 | Alpharetta, GA | $97,037 | $46.65 |
| 13 | Indianapolis, IN | $96,509 | $46.40 |
| 14 | Raleigh, NC | $96,335 | $46.31 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $95,976 | $46.14 |
| 16 | Englewood, CO | $93,920 | $45.15 |
| 17 | Phoenix, AZ | $93,780 | $45.09 |
| 18 | Cleveland, OH | $93,141 | $44.78 |
| 19 | Des Moines, IA | $91,827 | $44.15 |
| 20 | Detroit, MI | $91,783 | $44.13 |
Lead architect salary details
A lead architect's salary ranges from $78,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $139,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a lead architect's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $139,000 | $11,583 | $67 |
| 75th Percentile | $121,000 | $10,083 | $58 |
| Average | $104,687 | $8,724 | $50 |
| 25th Percentile | $89,000 | $7,417 | $43 |
| 10th Percentile | $78,000 | $6,500 | $38 |
Highest paying lead architect jobs
The highest paying types of lead architects are senior/lead developer, software engineer lead, and senior solutions architect.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Developer | $100,076 | $8,340 | $48.11 | 262,570 |
| Software Engineer Lead | $125,565 | $10,464 | $60.37 | 342,462 |
| Team Lead And Developer | $85,824 | $7,152 | $41.26 | 350,426 |
| Lead Software Developer | $115,072 | $9,589 | $55.32 | 309,029 |
| Lead Developer | $116,340 | $9,695 | $55.93 | 274,208 |
| Architect And Developer | $110,970 | $9,248 | $53.35 | 316,181 |
Top companies hiring lead architects now:
Which companies pay lead architects the most?
Lead architect salaries at Google and Apple are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average lead architect salary at companies like Boston Consulting Group and StumbleUpon are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $167,595 | $80.57 | |
| 2 | Apple | $166,117 | $79.86 |
| 3 | Boston Consulting Group | $160,040 | $76.94 |
| 4 | StumbleUpon | $157,096 | $75.53 |
| 5 | Microsoft | $156,325 | $75.16 |
| 6 | NVIDIA | $153,777 | $73.93 |
| 7 | Pacific Investment Management Company LLC | $152,313 | $73.23 |
| 8 | Dropbox | $151,389 | $72.78 |
| 9 | Rivian | $150,592 | $72.40 |
| 10 | $149,949 | $72.09 | |
| 11 | First Republic Bank | $149,120 | $71.69 |
| 12 | Ernst & Young | $147,718 | $71.02 |
| 13 | Amazon | $147,084 | $70.71 |
| 14 | Starbucks | $144,168 | $69.31 |
| 15 | Nike | $141,840 | $68.19 |
| 16 | Citi | $140,884 | $67.73 |
| 17 | Kaiser Permanente | $139,999 | $67.31 |
| 18 | J.P. Morgan | $139,945 | $67.28 |
| 19 | Walgreens | $139,396 | $67.02 |
| 20 | Citrix | $136,765 | $65.75 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Lead Architect salary by industry
The average lead architect salary varies across industries:
- The average lead architect salary in the insurance industry is $112,852, the highest of any industry.
- The average lead architect salary in the finance industry is $111,557.
- Lead architects in the finance industry earn an average salary of $98,280, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for lead architects
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Insurance | $112,852 | $54.26 |
| 2 | Energy | $111,557 | $53.63 |
| 3 | Professional | $109,254 | $52.53 |
| 4 | Technology | $108,002 | $51.92 |
| 5 | Finance | $98,280 | $47.25 |
High paying lead architect jobs
Lead architect salary trends
The average lead architect salary has risen by $17,136 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average lead architect earned $87,551 annually, but today, they earn $104,687 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for lead architects over the last decade.
Compare lead architect salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average lead architect salary over time
Compare lead architect salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Lead architect salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $105,000 | $50.33 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $101,000 | $48.67 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $98,900 | $47.57 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $97,000 | $46.64 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $94,800 | $45.59 | +1.5% |
Recently added lead architect salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeppesen | Lead Process Architect | Seattle, WA | 06/30/2025 | $129,200 |
| Baptisthlth | Lead Diagnostic Imaging Architect, Hybrid, Technology & Digital, 8A To P | Coral Gables, FL | 06/29/2025 | $131,853 |
| Goldbelt Incorporated | Technical Lead-Architect/Lead Engineer | Colorado Springs, CO | 06/27/2025 | $160,000 |
| Jpmorgan Chase | Lead Cybersecurity Architect | Plano, TX | 06/26/2025 | $152,000 |
| LG Electronics | Lead SOC Architect, Automotive (R&D LAB) | Santa Clara, CA | 06/26/2025 | $178,000 |
| Synechron | Java Lead/Architect With Banking Domain | Pittsburgh, PA | 06/26/2025 | $120,000 |
| Jpmorgan Chase & Co | Lead Cybersecurity Architect | Wilmington, DE | 06/25/2025 | $152,000 |
| Jpmorgan Chase & Co | Lead Cybersecurity Architect | New York, NY | 06/25/2025 | $152,000 |
| Spp | Lead Architect | Little Rock, AR | 06/24/2025 | $109,500 |
| Lululemon Athletica Inc. | Lead Architect-Cyber Security | Seattle, WA | 06/24/2025 | $164,000 |
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