SOC 17-1011 · Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro

Architects, Except Landscape and Naval Salary in Durham, NC

The average salary for architects (except landscape and naval) in Durham, North Carolina is $112,700 a year ($54.18 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $98,620: half of the 230 people in this job in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 5% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($106,836).

$112,700average per year

$54.18 / hourMedian $98,620Take-home ≈ $84,126

  • $64K10th
  • $81K25th
  • $99KMedian
  • $131K75th
  • $179K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

230people in this job
+5%vs U.S. metro average
#1 of 7North Carolina metros
98cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Architects, Except Landscape and Naval pay range in Durham

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $64,160 a year or less, while the top 10% make $179,460 or more. The middle half of architects (except landscape and naval) in Durham earn between $80,900 and $130,730.

  • $64K10th
  • $81K25th
  • $99KMedian
  • $131K75th
  • $179K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$112,700$9,392$54.18
Median$98,620$8,218$47.41
Entry level (25th percentile)$80,900$6,742$38.89
Experienced (75th percentile)$130,730$10,894$62.85

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Architects, Except Landscape and Naval salary after taxes in Durham

On the average salary of $112,700, a single filer in Durham takes home about $84,126 a year, or $7,011 a month and $3,236 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

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Is Durham a good place for architects (except landscape and naval)? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Durham area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.6), so the average $112,700 buys what about $115,504 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Durham ($60,720). A typical home costs $414,340, or 3.7 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $112,700 is worth in another city

Architects, Except Landscape and Naval salary in other North Carolina cities

Durham ranks 1st of 7 North Carolina metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.

All Architects, Except Landscape and Naval salaries in North Carolina

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).

Architects, Except Landscape and Naval salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Architects, Except Landscape and Naval in Durham, NC.

Architects, Except Landscape and Naval salary in Durham: questions

How much do architects (except landscape and naval) make an hour in Durham?

$54.18 an hour on average, and $47.41 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level architects (except landscape and naval) salary in Durham?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $64,160 a year and the 25th percentile is $80,900, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the architects (except landscape and naval) take-home pay in Durham?

About $84,126 a year ($7,011 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $112,700.

Do architects (except landscape and naval) earn more in Durham than elsewhere?

The average here is 5% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($106,836).

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 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (20500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.0%.
  • 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 (2026 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.95, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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