What are the main factors that influence a Lead Architect's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Lead Architect's salary?

A Lead Architect's salary grows with experience: a Design Architect, Specialist (7+ years)earns $111,975, a Design Architect, Master (7-10 years)earns $131,779, an Architect Team Leader (10+ years)earns $114,219, a Design Architect Manager (10+ years)earns $143,589, an Lead Architect (10+ years)earns $177,266,

What are the highest paying states for a Lead Architect?

Lead Architect salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Lead Architect roles are District of Columbia $196,270, California $195,530, Massachusetts $192,920. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Lead Architect roles make?

Salaries for Lead Architect level roles vary by specialization: Lead Enterprise Architect: $178,044; Lead System Architect: $171,453; Lead Applications Architect: $169,510; Lead Systems Architect: $169,510; Lead Network Architect: $161,508.

How do different companies affect a Lead Architect's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Lead Architect roles. Large, established industry leaders like Kpmg Us LLP ($114,295) and Warner Bros Discovery ($114,096) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $88,138.

Lead Architect Salary in the United States

How much does a Lead Architect make in the United States?

As of May 18, 2021, the average salary for a Lead Architect in the United States is $177,270 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $85.

However, a Lead Architect's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $204,914
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $162,110 to $191,740
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $148,308

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Lead Architect Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$191,740	$15,978	$3,687	$92
Average	$177,270	$14,773	$3,409	$85
25th Percentile	$162,110	$13,509	$3,118	$78

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Key Factors That Influence Lead Architect Salaries

A Lead Architect's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Lead Architect Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Lead Architect's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Design Architect, Specialist (7+ years): $111,975
Design Architect, Master (7-10 years): $131,779
Architect Team Leader (10+ years): $114,219
Design Architect Manager (10+ years): $143,589
Lead Architect (10+ years): $177,266

Job Role	Years of Experience	Average Salary
Design Architect, Specialist	7+ years	$111,975
Design Architect, Master	7-10 years	$131,779
Architect Team Leader	10+ years	$114,219
Design Architect Manager	10+ years	$143,589
Lead Architect	10+ years	$177,266

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Lead Architect Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Lead Architects. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $196,270.
California: $195,530.
Massachusetts: $192,920.

District of Columbia $196,270 California $195,530 Massachusetts $192,920 Washington $192,210 New Jersey $192,140 Alaska $191,900 Connecticut $189,450 New York $188,460

Hawaii $185,280 Rhode Island $183,790 Maryland $182,780 Minnesota $181,400 Colorado $180,870 Illinois $180,690 Oregon $180,020 Delaware $179,520

New Hampshire $179,210 Virginia $178,510 Pennsylvania $176,470 Nevada $175,450 North Dakota $175,110 Michigan $174,580 Wisconsin $174,380 Vermont $173,990

Texas $172,910 Maine $172,840 Arizona $172,730 Ohio $172,610 Georgia $170,980 Indiana $170,160 Wyoming $170,000 Utah $169,750

Iowa $169,650 Kansas $168,800 Louisiana $168,550 North Carolina $168,460 Missouri $168,430 Florida $167,730 Montana $167,360 Nebraska $167,010

Kentucky $166,810 South Carolina $166,100 Tennessee $165,660 Idaho $165,480 New Mexico $164,190 Oklahoma $163,910 Alabama $162,860 South Dakota $161,100

Arkansas $160,150 West Virginia $159,630 Mississippi $158,090

Top Paying Cities for Lead Architects

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $223,590
San Francisco: $221,390
Oakland: $216,480

San Jose, CA $223,590

San Francisco, CA $221,390

Oakland, CA $216,480

New York, NY $205,440

Queens Village, NY $204,110

Paramus, NJ $202,690

Passaic, NJ $202,510

Bergenfield, NJ $202,340

Stamford, CT $202,070

Huntington, NY $201,890

Newark, NJ $200,740

Bridgeport, CT $200,390

New Brunswick, NJ $199,800

Vallejo, CA $199,430

Middlesex, NJ $199,320

Somerset, NJ $199,160

Petaluma, CA $198,760

Santa Cruz, CA $198,060

Boston, MA $197,710

Monterey, CA $196,820

Fairbanks, AK $196,700

Los Angeles, CA $196,360

Washington, DC $196,270

Seattle, WA $195,950

Santa Rosa, CA $195,920

Juneau, AK $195,410

Orange, CA $194,820

Anchorage, AK $194,500

Anaheim, CA $194,380

Santa Ana, CA $194,110

Nassau, NY $194,000

Long Beach, CA $193,930

Danbury, CT $193,880

Santa Maria, CA $193,280

Everett, WA $193,240

Bremerton, WA $192,370

Trenton, NJ $192,040

Sacramento, CA $191,970

San Diego, CA $191,880

Brockton, MA $191,810

Tacoma, WA $191,740

Santa Barbara, CA $191,490

Lowell, MA $190,780

New Suffolk, NY $190,710

Nashua, NH $190,500

Lompoc, CA $190,210

Ventura, CA $190,030

Stockton, CA $189,980

New Haven, CT $189,630

Atlantic City, NJ $189,170

Hartford, CT $188,780

Modesto, CA $188,690

Poughkeepsie, NY $188,300

New Britain, CT $188,210

Kennewick, WA $187,960

Olympia, WA $187,960

New London, CT $187,920

Norwich, CT $187,870

Lawrence, MA $187,780

Bakersfield, CA $187,290

New Bedford, MA $187,040

Riverside, CA $187,040

Richland, WA $186,860

Portsmouth, NH $186,720

Vineland, NJ $186,680

San Bernardino, CA $186,540

Boulder, CO $186,050

Worcester, MA $185,900

Portland, OR $185,740

Saint Paul, MN $185,530

Minneapolis, MN $185,530

Philadelphia, PA $185,280

Honolulu, HI $184,340

Springfield, MA $183,720

Providence, RI $183,710

Chicago, IL $183,190

Bellingham, WA $182,980

Baltimore, MD $182,780

Chico, CA $182,340

Wilmington, DE $182,040

Pittsfield, MA $181,860

Manchester, NH $181,530

Spokane, WA $180,750

Denver, CO $180,730

Albany, NY $179,890

Troy, NY $179,820

Schenectady, NY $179,450

Burlington, VT $179,060

Portland, ME $178,440

Salem, OR $178,300

Yakima, WA $178,260

Ann Arbor, MI $178,210

Rochester, MN $177,710

Reno, NV $177,630

Fresno, CA $177,630

Milwaukee, WI $177,470

Detroit, MI $177,290

Allentown, PA $177,240

Carson City, NV $177,220

Houston, TX $176,950

Colorado Springs, CO $176,930

Syracuse, NY $176,850

Eugene, OR $176,510

Gary, IN $176,300

Bismarck, ND $176,300

Galveston, TX $176,300

Springfield, OR $176,150

Medford, OR $175,730

Fort Collins, CO $175,660

Austin, TX $175,520

Mesa, AZ $175,140

Phoenix, AZ $175,110

Dallas, TX $175,060

Reading, PA $174,950

Saint Cloud, MN $174,880

Concord, NH $174,720

Madison, WI $174,650

Utica, NY $174,170

Raleigh, NC $174,030

Las Vegas, NV $174,010

Rochester, NY $173,890

Des Moines, IA $173,870

Atlanta, GA $173,580

Battle Creek, MI $173,530

Salt Lake City, UT $173,480

Lancaster, PA $173,210

Champaign, IL $173,180

Harrisburg, PA $172,960

Durham, NC $172,800

Kansas City, MO $172,790

Kansas City, KS $172,750

Fort Worth, TX $172,730

Boca Raton, FL $172,660

Cleveland, OH $172,640

Columbus, OH $172,610

Pittsburgh, PA $172,590

Richmond, VA $172,520

Indianapolis, IN $172,480

Cincinnati, OH $172,250

Petersburg, VA $171,990

Lansing, MI $171,600

Billings, MT $171,600

Huntsville, AL $171,600

Lebanon, PA $171,580

Pueblo, CO $171,560

Dayton, OH $171,560

Appleton, WI $171,510

Buffalo, NY $171,440

Racine, WI $171,350

Charlotte, NC $171,330

Saint Louis, MO $171,280

Springfield, IL $171,210

York, PA $171,170

Elkhart, IN $171,170

Gastonia, NC $171,160

Benton Harbor, MI $171,160

Beaumont, TX $171,050

Lorain, OH $171,010

Toledo, OH $170,940

Binghamton, NY $170,850

Rock Hill, SC $170,840

Rockford, IL $170,750

Elyria, OH $170,660

Fargo, ND $170,660

Flagstaff, AZ $170,530

Fort Lauderdale, FL $170,430

Miami, FL $170,320

Duluth, MN $170,040

Bangor, ME $169,810

Cedar Rapids, IA $169,610

Louisville, KY $169,520

Grand Rapids, MI $169,490

Hialeah, FL $169,470

Casper, WY $169,220

Scranton, PA $169,010

New Orleans, LA $168,960

Virginia Beach, VA $168,940

Akron, OH $168,850

Peoria, IL $168,620

Sarasota, FL $168,580

Green Bay, WI $168,460

Baton Rouge, LA $168,370

Charleston, SC $168,340

Nashville, TN $168,280

Jamestown, NY $168,250

Davenport, IA $168,250

Tucson, AZ $168,160

Cheyenne, WY $168,110

Saint Petersburg, FL $168,050

Tampa, FL $168,020

Omaha, NE $167,980

Evansville, IN $167,910

Port Arthur, TX $167,910

Bradenton, FL $167,840

Santa Fe, NM $167,520

Orlando, FL $167,340

Clearwater, FL $167,150

La Crosse, WI $166,780

Canton, OH $166,780

Grand Forks, ND $166,720

Tulsa, OK $166,670

Albuquerque, NM $166,670

Newport News, VA $166,650

High Point, NC $166,600

Ogden, UT $166,530

Corpus Christi, TX $166,390

Laramie, WY $166,280

Norfolk, VA $166,280

Rock Island, IL $166,170

Saginaw, MI $166,140

Jacksonville, FL $166,120

Salisbury, NC $166,090

Memphis, TN $166,050

Moline, IL $165,960

Fort Myers, FL $165,910

Waterloo, IA $165,680

Spartanburg, SC $165,500

Lincoln, NE $165,410

Fort Wayne, IN $165,380

Birmingham, AL $165,180

Cedar Falls, IA $165,150

Provo, UT $165,130

Springfield, OH $165,110

San Antonio, TX $165,080

Greensboro, NC $165,000

South Bend, IN $164,990

Winston Salem, NC $164,970

Boise, ID $164,920

Savannah, GA $164,790

Muskegon, MI $164,470

Lima, OH $164,260

Lake Charles, LA $164,190

Anderson, IN $164,150

Lexington, KY $164,100

Augusta, GA $164,050

Greenville, SC $164,050

Wichita, KS $163,890

Tuscaloosa, AL $163,890

Columbia, SC $163,730

Bloomington, IN $163,280

Roanoke, VA $163,180

Asheville, NC $162,950

Knoxville, TN $162,650

Shreveport, LA $162,630

Wilmington, NC $162,400

Frankfort, KY $162,060

Oklahoma City, OK $161,940

Chillicothe, OH $161,870

Longview, TX $161,850

Topeka, KS $161,800

Mobile, AL $161,530

Terre Haute, IN $161,460

Erie, PA $161,440

Altoona, PA $161,350

Melbourne, FL $161,300

Amarillo, TX $161,230

Killeen, TX $161,180

Fayetteville, AR $161,030

Sioux Falls, SD $160,910

Chattanooga, TN $160,800

Idaho Falls, ID $160,790

Gainesville, FL $160,410

Portsmouth, OH $160,320

Little Rock, AR $160,290

Lynchburg, VA $160,290

Youngstown, OH $160,220

Lafayette, LA $160,220

Temple, TX $160,150

Daytona Beach, FL $160,110

Clarksville, TN $160,090

Pensacola, FL $160,080

Hopkinsville, KY $159,540

Charleston, WV $159,530

Florence, SC $159,440

Sioux City, IA $159,330

Macon, GA $158,820

Tallahassee, FL $158,800

Fayetteville, NC $158,760

Wichita Falls, TX $158,730

Waco, TX $158,730

Pine Bluff, AR $158,660

Vincennes, IN $158,320

Lubbock, TX $158,250

Great Falls, MT $158,140

Alamogordo, NM $158,130

Abilene, TX $157,980

Rapid City, SD $157,750

Monroe, LA $157,750

Albany, GA $157,650

Huntington, WV $157,630

Jackson, MS $157,610

Greenville, MS $157,590

Parkersburg, WV $157,420

Montgomery, AL $157,380

Johnstown, PA $157,350

Springfield, MO $157,200

Biloxi, MS $157,120

Sumter, SC $156,740

Columbus, GA $156,730

Twin Falls, ID $156,620

Pascagoula, MS $156,390

Kingsport, TN $155,930

Gulfport, MS $155,870

Alexandria, LA $155,290

Fort Smith, AR $154,850

El Paso, TX $154,370

Helena, MT $154,140

Las Cruces, NM $153,570

Harlingen, TX $153,070

Pocatello, ID $152,910

Florence, AL $152,860

Brownsville, TX $152,830

Dothan, AL $152,540

Mcallen, TX $152,450

Columbus, MS $151,140

Altus, OK $150,330

Lawton, OK $149,990

Pierre, SD $149,350

What Skills Can Increase a Lead Architect's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Leadership (Mentioned in 6.97% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Web Applications (Mentioned in 2.69% Job Postings): A web application is application software that runs in a web browser, unlike software programs that run locally and natively on the operating system of the device. They are delivered on the World Wide Web to users with an active network connection.
Cisco (Mentioned in 1.76% Job Postings): Cisco Systems, Inc., commonly known as Cisco, is an American-based multinational technology conglomerate corporation headquartered in San Jose, California.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Leadership	6.97%
Web Applications	2.69%
Cisco	1.76%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Lead Architect's salary.

Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Agile: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Collaboration	$182,588	3%
Innovation	$182,588	3%
Agile	$182,588	3%
Java	$180,815	2%
Project Management	$180,815	2%
Solution Design	$180,815	2%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Lead Architect's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Lead Architects enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Lead Architect with a Bachelor's Degree is between $147,487 and $160,353).

Lead Architect Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Lead Architect

No Diploma 0.7%

High School 3.4%

Associates 2.7%

Bachelors 45.6%

Masters 44.2%

Doctorate 3.4%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.7%
High School	3.4%
Associates	2.7%
Bachelors	45.6%
Masters	44.2%
Doctorate	3.4%

view as graph

Lead Architect Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Lead Architect's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 18, 2021

$162,110

Average $177,270/year

$191,740

$13,509

Average $14,773/month

$15,978

$3,118

Average $3,409/week

$3,687

$78

Average $85/hour

$92

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$191,740	$15,978	$3,687	$92
Average	$177,270	$14,773	$3,409	$85
25th Percentile	$162,110	$13,509	$3,118	$78

Salaries of jobs related to Lead Architect

Salary Trends for Lead Architect

Salaries for a Lead Architect can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $161,731 in 2023 to around $157,893 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Lead Architect salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Lead Architect Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$161,731

2024

$159,044

2025

$157,893

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$161,731
2024	$159,044
2025	$157,893
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Lead Architect

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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