Lead / Director Architects salary in California
Roles that direct strategy, lead teams, or hold full functional ownership. Typically ten or more years of experience or a Director-class title with budget responsibility.
Lead / Director Architects in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 8 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $152,500. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level IV — fully competent | 8 | $152,500 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Lead / Director Architects in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live Nation Worldwide, Inc. | Project Manager | 2 | $174,075 |
| Open Office INC | Principal Architect | 1 | $160,000 |
| Architects Orange, LLP | Project Manager | 1 | $145,000 |
| Apple Inc. | Project/Program Manager | 1 | $170,200 |
| Woods Bagot North America Inc. | CA Client Management Stream Leader | 1 | $145,000 |
| Parsons Transportation Group Inc. | Senior Architect | 1 | $137,197 |
| SIMPSON & SIMPSON MANAGEMENT CONSULTING INC. | DESIGN ASSOCIATE | 1 | $138,320 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Principal Architect at Open Office INC$160,000Culver CityWage Level IVDecided Sep 29, 2025I-203-25265-325295
- Project Manager at Architects Orange, LLP$145,000OrangeWage Level IVDecided Jul 8, 2025I-200-25181-140407
- Project/Program Manager at Apple Inc.$170,200San JoseWage Level IVDecided May 6, 2025I-200-25119-917197
- CA Client Management Stream Leader at Woods Bagot North America Inc.$145,000Los AngelesWage Level IVDecided Nov 25, 2024I-203-24323-483083
- Senior Architect at Parsons Transportation Group Inc.$137,197PasadenaWage Level IVDecided Oct 31, 2024I-200-24298-430912
- DESIGN ASSOCIATE at SIMPSON & SIMPSON MANAGEMENT CONSULTING INC.$138,320LOS ANGELESWage Level IVDecided Oct 31, 2024I-200-24298-430118
- Project Manager at Live Nation Worldwide, Inc.$174,075Newport BeachWage Level IVDecided Oct 1, 2024I-203-24268-361311
- Project Manager at Live Nation Worldwide, Inc.$174,075Newport BeachWage Level IVDecided Oct 1, 2024I-203-24268-360676
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.