Architect.
Chicago.
$107,000
median salary, 10% above the national average
$84,000 to $136,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
If you are evaluating an Architect offer in Chicago, IL, here is the reality: $84,000 to $136,000, with $107,000 as the midpoint. 10% above the national average. Licensure status, project type specialization, and geographic market create the widest salary gaps. Do not accept the first number. 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 Chicago, 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 $81,790 for Architects, Except Landscape and Naval (SOC 17-1011) in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan area, based on 4,460 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$60,750
25th percentile
$65,820
Median
$81,790
75th percentile
$105,090
90th percentile
$130,990
Workers surveyed
4,460
Why this differs from the estimate above. The Orbyt estimate of $107,000 is 31% higher than this published figure. That is usually not an error in either number: BLS reports by occupation code, and Architects, Except Landscape and Naval covers a different population than the Architect title as it is typically advertised. Both are shown, unreconciled, so you can judge which one describes the job you mean.
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 Chicago 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 $96,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$70,000
to $86,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$91,000
to $112,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$118,000
to $139,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$134,000
to $166,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $31,000 to the total package.
Base
$107,000
Equity
$18,000
Bonus
$11,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $138,000
How Chicago compares.
Chicago, IL
$107,000
Cost of living: 7% above average
National Average
$97,000
Chicago is $10,000 above
Architect salary by city.
Salary by role in Chicago.
What you should know.
Here is what the Architect market actually looks like in Chicago. Chicago's economy is anchored by finance, manufacturing, and a rapidly expanding tech sector. The city has become a major hub for fintech, enterprise SaaS, and e-commerce. With lower living costs than coastal cities and a deep talent pool from top universities, Chicago offers strong salary to cost of living ratios for professionals across industries. 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 Chicago, 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: illinois has a flat 4.95% state income tax. Chicago does not levy a separate city income tax, making the overall burden moderate compared to coastal metros. When someone quotes you $107,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Reference the Bay Area or NYC salary band for your role, then negotiate a modest discount. Chicago employers routinely offer 85 to 90% of coastal pay. The range for Architects in Chicago runs from $84,000 to $136,000. 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 Systems Administrator in Chicago earns $108,000 (1% more)
- The highest-paying role in Chicago is CTO at $327,000
Common questions.
Architect salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Chicago.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Architect Salary in Chicago, IL." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/architect/chicago
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