Architect.
Manchester.
$104,000
median salary, 7% above the national average
$81,000 to $132,000. Last updated August 2026.
Get the job.
Data points to own the conversation.
Architect pay in Manchester ranges from $81,000 to $132,000 in 2026. The median is $104,000, 7% above the national average. Manchester is New Hampshire's largest city and a growing satellite hub for Boston's tech economy. Every dollar in that range is negotiable if you come prepared. 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 Manchester, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. BLS does not publish this occupation for this metro area, so the national published benchmark is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $99,280 for Architects, Except Landscape and Naval (SOC 17-1011) across the United States, based on 106,770 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$62,300
25th percentile
$77,960
Median
$99,280
75th percentile
$126,550
90th percentile
$161,420
Workers surveyed
106,770
What BLS published in each release
May 2024 release
$96,690
May 2025 release
$99,280
These are two separate published estimates, not a time series. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not encourage the use of OEWS data for time-series analysis. Differences between releases reflect changes in occupational classification, survey methodology, and the three-year pooled sample as well as any change in pay, so the two figures should not be read as a rate of wage growth.
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 national 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)
$68,000
to $83,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$88,000
to $109,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$114,000
to $135,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$130,000
to $161,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $31,000 to the total package.
Base
$104,000
Equity
$18,000
Bonus
$11,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $135,000
How Manchester compares.
Manchester, NH
$104,000
Cost of living: 6% above average
National Average
$97,000
Manchester is $7,000 above
Architect salary by city.
Salary by role in Manchester.
What you should know.
If you are interviewing for Architect roles in Manchester, here is what you are walking into. Manchester is New Hampshire's largest city and a growing satellite hub for Boston's tech economy. The lack of state income tax and sales tax makes it highly attractive for professionals who commute to or work remotely for Boston area employers. Defense, healthcare, and small tech firms anchor the local economy. 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 Manchester, 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: new Hampshire has no state income tax on wages and no sales tax. Manchester has no city income tax. This makes it one of the lowest taxed metros in the Northeast. When someone quotes you $104,000, 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 to negotiate. Many professionals live in Manchester and work remotely for Boston companies, keeping the higher salary with zero state tax. The range for Architects in Manchester runs from $81,000 to $132,000. 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 Civil Engineer in Manchester earns $105,000 (1% more)
- The highest-paying role in Manchester is CTO at $308,000
Common questions.
Architect salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Manchester.
Related salary pages
Jump to nearby roles and cities most relevant to Architects in Manchester.
Related tools.
Do you work as an architect in Manchester?
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 Manchester, NH." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/architect/manchester
Want this data on your site? Embed the salary widget. One script tag, free forever.
Related tools