Entry-level Architect salary in Seattle, WA
Based on 53 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I 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) | $73,130 |
| 75th | $77,979 |
| 90th | $87,627 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $57,100 | $55,411 | $59,740 | 18 |
| FY2021 | $58,926 | $58,926 | $62,400 | 17 |
| FY2022 | $64,000 | $61,502 | $65,026 | 20 |
| FY2023 | $65,823 | $65,645 | $71,040 | 24 |
| FY2024 | $66,914 | $61,396 | $72,000 | 26 |
| FY2025 | $71,760 | $66,851 | $75,000 | 29 |
| FY2026 | $75,002 | $71,365 | $85,000 | 24 |
Cost of living
Seattle's median entry-level Architect salary of $73,130 is worth about $65,800 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 $73,130, 27% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Perkins & Will | too few | 5 |
| Nac | too few | 4 |
| Arcadis | too few | 2 |
| DLR Group | too few | 2 |
| Freiheit Architecture, Inc. P.S. | too few | 2 |
| Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum | too few | 2 |
| Julian Weber Architecture and Design | too few | 2 |
| LMN Architects | too few | 2 |
| Microsoft | too few | 2 |
| Milbrandt Architects, Inc. P.S. | 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.