Architects, Except Landscape and Naval pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,640 a year or less, while the top 10% make $164,530 or more. The middle half of architects (except landscape and naval) in Los Angeles earn between $80,390 and $132,190.
- $76K10th
- $80K25th
- $104KMedian
- $132K75th
- $165K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $115,940 | $9,662 | $55.74 |
| Median | $104,170 | $8,681 | $50.08 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $80,390 | $6,699 | $38.65 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $132,190 | $11,016 | $63.55 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Architects (except landscape and naval) in Los Angeles earn 5% less than the California average ($121,910) and 9% more than the U.S. average ($106,260). At the median the gap is +5% against the U.S. median of $99,280.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $115,940 | $104,170 | $75,640 | $164,530 | 4,870 |
| California | $121,910 | $108,540 | $75,640 | $171,160 | 13,270 |
| United States | $106,260 | $99,280 | $62,300 | $161,420 | 106,770 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $115,940, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $83,703 a year, or $6,975 a month and $3,219 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for architects (except landscape and naval)? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $115,940 buys what about $102,090 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 8.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 8th of 18 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($142,170).
- San Jose$142,170
- San Francisco$131,300
- Sacramento$124,740
- San Diego$123,640
- Redding$118,650
- Modesto$116,700
- Bakersfield$116,030
- Los Angeles$115,940
- Santa Rosa$115,070
- Stockton$113,900
All Architects, Except Landscape and Naval salaries in California
Highest-paying cities for architects (except landscape and naval)
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($142,170).
- San Jose, CA$142,170
- San Francisco, CA$131,300
- Trenton, NJ$127,000
- Kiryas Joel, NY$125,980
- Sacramento, CA$124,740
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Architects, Except Landscape and Naval salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do architects (except landscape and naval) make an hour in Los Angeles?
$55.74 an hour on average, and $50.08 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level architects (except landscape and naval) salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,640 a year and the 25th percentile is $80,390, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the architects (except landscape and naval) take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $83,703 a year ($6,975 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $115,940. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do architects (except landscape and naval) earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% more than the U.S. average for this job ($106,260).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-1011; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.1%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.13, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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