Architect Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of architects to grow 4.3% from 2025 to 2035 (about 5,300 more jobs), with about 6,900 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $99,280 a year ranks 140th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +4.3%
- Openings a year
- 6,900
- Median pay
- $99,280
- Pay rank
- 140th of 825
Is employment of architects growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of architects to rise 4.3% (about 5,300 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is slower than the +6.8% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 36 architecture and engineering occupations with a projection. That change ranks 281st of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 124,600 |
| Employment, 2035 | 129,900 |
| Projected change | +4.3% |
| Openings a year | 6,900 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 124,600 jobs here differ from the 106,770 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 6,900 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 324th most of 830 occupations. About 92% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 530 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for architects rank?
The median of $99,280 a year ranks 140th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on both pay and openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: bachelor's degree.
- Typical on-the-job training: internship/residency.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape Architects | +4.4% | 1,700 | $79,870 |
| Civil Engineers | +6.4% | 22,700 | $100,840 |
| Industrial Engineers | +12.4% | 23,100 | $102,440 |
| Architectural and Civil Drafters | +5.2% | 9,100 | $66,150 |
| Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians | +3.2% | 6,100 | $64,950 |
| Electrical and Electronics Drafters | -3.4% | 1,400 | $76,870 |
| Engineers, All Other | +3.7% | 8,800 | $122,930 |
| Construction Managers | +9.1% | 49,700 | $114,990 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.