Average Architectural And Engineering Managers Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Architectural And Engineering Managers is $171,270 per year. The middle 50% earn between $139,360 and $212,500, with 220,260 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 51 states and 333 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Architectural And Engineering Managers pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $120,810
- 25th
- $139,360
- Median
- $171,270
- 75th
- $212,500
- 90th
- $262,760
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Architectural And Engineering Managers are among the highest-paid occupations tracked by BLS, well into the top decile of US wages.
The spread between entry-level and top-end pay is typical for US occupations. Experience and specialization matter, but the range is not unusually wide.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for architectural and engineering managers from 2024 to 2034. Growth is roughly in line with the US average of about 4% across all occupations.
- Projected growth
- +3.8%
- 8,000 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 14,500
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave.
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- 5 years or more
A bachelor's degree is the typical entry requirement for architectural and engineering managers.
Where Architectural And Engineering Managers earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where architectural and engineering managers work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is New Mexico at $215,120, about 25.6% above the national median. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA leads with a median of $234,590.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $215,120 | 2,270 |
| California | $210,280 | 29,630 |
| Massachusetts | $201,430 | 7,690 |
| Washington | $189,680 | 6,060 |
| District of Columbia | $185,220 | 1,290 |
| Colorado | $183,810 | 4,900 |
| Delaware | $181,190 | 560 |
| New Jersey | $180,640 | 4,540 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $234,590 | 5,130 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $221,580 | 5,000 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $215,120 | 1,160 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $213,070 | 180 |
| Peoria, IL | $212,820 | 540 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | $212,050 | 970 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $207,900 | 340 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $207,140 | 190 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see architectural and engineering managers pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Architectural And Engineering Managers rose from $144,830 to $171,270, a gain of +18.3% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $144,830 would need to be worth $182,381 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $171,270 is −$11,111 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -6.1% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of 18.3% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- +18.3%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- -6.1%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Architectural And Engineering Managers median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $171,270
- 2024
- $167,740
- 2023
- $165,370
- 2022
- $159,920
- 2021
- $152,350
- 2020
- $149,530
- 2019
- $144,830
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Construction Managers
- $114,990
- Gambling Managers
- $93,220
- Food Service Managers
- $69,390
Common salary questions for Architectural And Engineering Managers
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Architectural And Engineering Managers workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.