RateOrchard
Seniority Profile · California

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.

Adrian Serafin, founder and editor of RateOrchardBy Adrian SerafinFounderUpdated May 5, 2026
BLS percentile range
P75 to P90 of the California OES distribution for Architects.
DOL OFLC offered median
$152,500
Across 8 certified filings at this wage level.
Real disclosed salaries

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.

LevelFilingsMedian offer
Level IV — fully competent8$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.

EmployerMost-filed titleFilingsMedian
Live Nation Worldwide, Inc.Project Manager2$174,075
Open Office INCPrincipal Architect1$160,000
Architects Orange, LLPProject Manager1$145,000
Apple Inc.Project/Program Manager1$170,200
Woods Bagot North America Inc.CA Client Management Stream Leader1$145,000
Parsons Transportation Group Inc.Senior Architect1$137,197
SIMPSON & SIMPSON MANAGEMENT CONSULTING INC.DESIGN ASSOCIATE1$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
    $160,000
    Culver CityWage Level IVDecided Sep 29, 2025I-203-25265-325295
  • Project Manager at Architects Orange, LLP
    $145,000
    OrangeWage Level IVDecided Jul 8, 2025I-200-25181-140407
  • Project/Program Manager at Apple Inc.
    $170,200
    San JoseWage Level IVDecided May 6, 2025I-200-25119-917197
  • CA Client Management Stream Leader at Woods Bagot North America Inc.
    $145,000
    Los AngelesWage Level IVDecided Nov 25, 2024I-203-24323-483083
  • Senior Architect at Parsons Transportation Group Inc.
    $137,197
    PasadenaWage Level IVDecided Oct 31, 2024I-200-24298-430912
  • DESIGN ASSOCIATE at SIMPSON & SIMPSON MANAGEMENT CONSULTING INC.
    $138,320
    LOS ANGELESWage Level IVDecided Oct 31, 2024I-200-24298-430118
  • Project Manager at Live Nation Worldwide, Inc.
    $174,075
    Newport BeachWage Level IVDecided Oct 1, 2024I-203-24268-361311
  • Project Manager at Live Nation Worldwide, Inc.
    $174,075
    Newport 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.