Architect.
Austin.
$103,000
median salary, 6% above the national average
$81,000 to $130,000. Last updated August 2026.
Get the job.
Data points to own the conversation.
Orbyt estimates Architect pay in Austin at $103,000, within a range of $81,000 to $130,000. That is 6% above the national average. Austin has transformed into one of America's fastest growing tech hubs, attracting relocations from Apple, Tesla, Oracle, and Samsung. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Architect in Austin, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $96,600 for Architects, Except Landscape and Naval (SOC 17-1011) in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metropolitan area, based on 1,120 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$62,160
25th percentile
$77,220
Median
$96,600
75th percentile
$110,960
90th percentile
$150,230
Workers surveyed
1,120
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Architects, Except Landscape and Naval (SOC 17-1011) rather than Architect specifically. The Austin range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 17-1011Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $93,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$67,000
to $82,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$88,000
to $108,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$113,000
to $134,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$129,000
to $160,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $31,000 to the total package.
Base
$103,000
Equity
$18,000
Bonus
$11,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $134,000
How Austin compares.
Austin, TX
$103,000
Cost of living: 3% above average
National Average
$97,000
Austin is $6,000 above
Architect salary by city.
Salary by role in Austin.
What you should know.
If you are interviewing for Architect roles in Austin, here is what you are walking into. Austin has transformed into one of America's fastest growing tech hubs, attracting relocations from Apple, Tesla, Oracle, and Samsung. The city's combination of no state income tax, a vibrant startup scene, and a strong university pipeline makes it highly competitive. Salaries have risen sharply over the past five years, narrowing the gap with coastal cities. Licensure status, project type specialization, and geographic market create the widest salary gaps. Licensed architects working on large commercial, healthcare, or institutional projects in major metro areas earn 20 to 35% more than unlicensed designers working on residential projects.
Architectural Designers before licensure earn $68,000 to $80,000. Licensed Architects with five to eight years of experience reach $85,000 to $105,000. Project Architects and Senior Architects command $100,000 to $130,000, while Principals and Partners can earn $140,000 to $250,000. In Austin, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Principals and partners at architecture firms often receive profit-sharing distributions of $20,000 to $100,000 or more. Project completion bonuses of 5 to 10% are common. Professional development and licensure exam reimbursement are standard benefits. And on the tax side: texas has no state income tax, which can mean 5 to 10% more take home pay compared to California roles. Property taxes are above average, however, running about 1.8% of home value. When someone quotes you $103,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Use the no income tax advantage as a negotiation lever. Ask employers to match 90% of a Bay Area offer and show that your net pay will actually be higher. The range for Architects in Austin runs from $81,000 to $130,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Physical Therapist in Austin earns $101,000 (2% less)
- The highest-paying role in Austin is CTO at $318,000
Common questions.
Architect salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Austin.
Related salary pages
Jump to nearby roles and cities most relevant to Architects in Austin.
Related tools.
Do you work as an architect in Austin?
Your individual figure is never published. Submissions appear only as aggregate percentiles, and nothing is shown for a role and city until at least five people have reported. It is stored against your account, which is what keeps the dataset clean.
Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Architect Salary in Austin, TX." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/architect/austin
Want this data on your site? Embed the salary widget. One script tag, free forever.
Related tools