Architect salary in Seattle, WA
Based on 101 certified H-1B filings in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Bainbridge Island, Edmonds.
Also listed as: Project Architect, Architect Non Licensed
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $66,851 |
| 25th | $71,365 |
| 50th (median) | $79,643 |
| 75th | $90,000 |
| 90th | $110,400 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $62,252 | $56,245 | $69,992 | 38 |
| FY2021 | $64,830 | $58,926 | $75,000 | 46 |
| FY2022 | $73,258 | $65,000 | $79,299 | 63 |
| FY2023 | $76,440 | $65,645 | $82,214 | 53 |
| FY2024 | $74,838 | $66,945 | $87,371 | 52 |
| FY2025 | $79,643 | $70,720 | $92,435 | 61 |
| FY2026 | $84,739 | $72,072 | $88,500 | 40 |
Cost of living
Seattle's median Architect salary of $79,643 is worth about $71,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Seattle = 111.1).
Compared with all workers here
All Architects, Except Landscape and Naval in the Seattle, WA area earned a median of $100,610 in May 2025 (2,970 employed). The H-1B median here is $79,643, 21% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Nbbj | too few | 8 |
| Perkins & Will | too few | 7 |
| Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects | too few | 5 |
| HDR Architecture | too few | 4 |
| Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum | too few | 4 |
| Nac | too few | 4 |
| Arcadis | too few | 3 |
| Cannon Design | too few | 3 |
| Design Collective | too few | 3 |
| DLR Group | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $73,130 | 53 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $85,140 | 30 |
| Senior · Level III | – | 0 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 2 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $71,365 | $73,130 | 53 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $84,739 | $85,140 | 30 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.