Architect.
Washington DC.
$116,000
median salary, 20% above the national average
$91,000 to $148,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
An Architect in Washington DC earns a median of $116,000 in 2026. That is 20% above the national average. The range runs from $91,000 to $148,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. Licensure status, project type specialization, and geographic market create the widest salary gaps. 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 Washington DC, 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 $102,080 for Architects, Except Landscape and Naval (SOC 17-1011) in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area, based on 3,020 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$75,650
25th percentile
$81,550
Median
$102,080
75th percentile
$130,670
90th percentile
$166,190
Workers surveyed
3,020
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 Washington DC 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 $105,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$75,000
to $93,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$99,000
to $122,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$128,000
to $151,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$145,000
to $180,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $34,000 to the total package.
Base
$116,000
Equity
$20,000
Bonus
$12,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $150,000
How Washington DC compares.
Washington DC, DC
$116,000
Cost of living: 25% above average
National Average
$97,000
Washington DC is $19,000 above
Architect salary by city.
Salary by role in Washington DC.
What you should know.
The Architect landscape in Washington DC is not what most salary sites will tell you. Washington DC's job market is shaped by the federal government, defense contractors, and a growing commercial tech sector. Cybersecurity, cloud computing, and consulting firms drive demand for cleared professionals. The region's stability, combined with high government pay scales, creates a salary floor that pulls private sector compensation upward. 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 Washington DC, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 25% above average, and employers adjust to compete.
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: dC income tax rates reach 10.75% for high earners. Maryland and Virginia residents working in DC face their own state taxes. Choose your residence jurisdiction carefully to optimize net pay. When someone quotes you $116,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: A security clearance is your strongest negotiation asset. Cleared professionals in DC command 20 to 30% premiums, and transferring your clearance to a new employer saves them significant time and cost. The range for Architects in Washington DC runs from $91,000 to $148,000. 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
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- A Marketing Manager in Washington DC earns $115,000 (1% less)
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Common questions.
Architect salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Washington DC.
Related salary pages
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Architect Salary in Washington DC, DC." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/architect/washington-dc
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