How much does an architecture professor make?
a year · about $47 an hour
A typical architecture professor in the United States makes $96,870 a year, about $47 an hour, about 1.9× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They may start with a lecture on building design, then sit with students in a design studio and comment on their projects. Later, they grade work, answer questions during office hours, and may research or write about architecture.
Did you know? At UT Austin, architecture professor Larry Speck taught more than 35,000 students over 50 years!
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $58,430 and $159,030How do you become one?
In the US, earn a professional architecture degree and usually continue to graduate school; universities often seek a doctorate, while some accept a master’s plus substantial practice. Gain teaching experience too—this career usually follows years of study and work.
School needed: Graduate degree or long training
Good for people who like helping and teaching and figuring things out
Why does pay differ?
In the US, pay can vary with experience, responsibility, seniority or tenure, and location. School type matters too: BLS reports different average pay for architecture teachers at universities and junior colleges.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in New York ($126,430), lowest in New Mexico ($69,820).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $58,430 | $96,870 | $159,030 | about 8,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $126,430 | about 1,000 |
| Connecticut | $122,880 | — |
| Virginia | $105,940 | about 230 |
| Illinois | $104,580 | about 230 |
| California | $103,520 | about 530 |
Official definition: Teach courses in architecture and architectural design, such as architectural environmental design, interior architecture/design, and landscape architecture. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-1031.00
- www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes251031.htm
- www.acsa-arch.org/job/assistant-associate-professor-of-architecture-7
- news.utexas.edu/2026/06/05/two-architecture-professors-celebrate-50-years-of-tea
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY