Architects in Illinois. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
Salary distribution
Where Illinois architects fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $65,110 and $105,090, with a median of $81,780.
Architects in Illinois: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 142 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $72,644. 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 I — entry | 87 | $65,000 |
| Level II — qualified | 40 | $80,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 9 | $101,043 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 4 | $124,124 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Architects in Illinois. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP | Intermediate Designer | 10 | $74,000 |
| HKS, Inc. | Design Professional - Architecture | 7 | $78,000 |
| Perkins & Will, Inc. | Designer III | 7 | $59,634 |
| Studio Gang Architects | Designer II | 7 | $87,589 |
| Gannett Fleming, Inc. | Designer, Architecture | 6 | $59,634 |
| Adrian Smith & Gordon Gill Architecture LLP | Designer | 5 | $65,000 |
| SKIDMORE, OWINGS & MERRILL LLP | Junior Designer | 5 | $64,890 |
| SOLOMON CORDWELL BUENZ | ARCHITECT I | 4 | $59,634 |
| DXU LLC | Designer | 3 | $62,000 |
| Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, Inc. | Design Professional | 3 | $64,002 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Senior Computational Design Specialist at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP$80,000ChicagoWage Level IIDecided Mar 27, 2026I-200-26079-718213
- Designer at Perkins & Will, Inc.$75,858ChicagoWage Level IIDecided Mar 26, 2026I-200-26078-715878
- Design Coordinator at HDR Architecture, Inc.$83,762ChicagoWage Level IDecided Mar 18, 2026I-200-26071-697484
- Architectural Designer I at Architectual Expressions, LLP$68,640ChampaignWage Level IDecided Mar 16, 2026I-200-26068-690509
- Project Leader at Studio Gang Architects, Ltd.$102,904ChicagoWage Level IIIDecided Mar 12, 2026I-200-26064-684022
- Emerging Professional at Perkins Eastman Architects DPC$61,589ChicagoWage Level IDecided Mar 12, 2026I-200-26064-681546
- Senior Project Manager at The Lamar Johnson Collaborative, Inc.$160,603ChicagoWage Level IVDecided Mar 12, 2026I-200-26064-682331
- Architect (Unlicensed) at Sara E.F. Gensburg, Ltd.$77,000NorthbrookWage Level IIDecided Mar 6, 2026I-201-26058-670685
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.
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Architects pay by experience level in Illinois
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Architects specialties in Illinois
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 99 certified offers. The most common variant is Designer at a median of $65,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Designer | Gannett Fleming, Inc. | 40 | $65,000 |
| Architectural Designer | BLDG Projects, Inc | 15 | $73,000 |
| Architect | Sara E.F. Gensburg, Ltd. | 14 | $76,741 |
| Architectural Associate | Archeo Design Studio, Inc. | 9 | $72,000 |
| Intermediate Designer | Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP | 5 | $64,890 |
| Designer Technical | Solomon Cordwell Buenz | 4 | $77,317 |
| Job Captain | HKS, Inc. | 3 | $82,000 |
| Senior Design Associate | Krueck & Sexton Architects, Ltd | 3 | $76,482 |
| Design Professional | Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, Inc. | 3 | $63,153 |
| Design Professional - Architecture | HKS, Inc. | 3 | $68,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Illinois over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
Internship/residency
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.9 / 5
Design
Knowledge
- 4.8 / 5
Building and Construction
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Visualization
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Public Safety and Security
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Operations Analysis
Technical
- 4.0 / 5
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Speaking
Basic skill
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Develop final construction plans that include aesthetic representations of the structure or details for its construction.
- 02
Prepare scale drawings or architectural designs, using computer-aided design or other tools.
- 03
Prepare information regarding design, structure specifications, materials, color, equipment, estimated costs, or construction time.
- 04
Consult with clients to determine functional or spatial requirements of structures.
- 05
Meet with clients to review or discuss architectural drawings.
- 06
Integrate engineering elements into unified architectural designs.
- 07
Monitor the work of specialists, such as electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, interior designers, or sound specialists to ensure optimal form or function of designs or final structures.
- 08
Plan layouts of structural architectural projects.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+3.9%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Average growth
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in Illinois
Metro-level salary data for architects in major Illinois metropolitan areas.
- Chicago$81,790
Compare Architects pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare Illinois with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Architects in Illinois?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Architects in Illinois is $81,780.
- How does Illinois compare to the national median for Architects?
- The Illinois median is -17.2% versus the BLS national figure of $98,731.
- What is the salary range for Architects in Illinois?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $59,890 and the 90th-percentile at $130,670, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Architects a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 3.9% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Architects?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.