Architect salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an architect is $120,000 per annum, before tax, up $25,200 since 2018.
- Your earnings move most when you change the type of practice you work in: large commercial firms, developers and government agencies usually pay above small residential studios, and registered architects who run their own projects negotiate from a stronger position.
- Late nights around development applications and documentation deadlines are common, and many practices expect them without extra pay, so ask how a typical month runs before you accept a figure.
- If a role is contract or project based, check whether registration fees and professional development are covered.
The median salary rose by $25,200 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than architect
The largest typical pay rise is $75,100 a year, moving into Construction Manager.
- Construction Manager+$75,100/yr
- University Lecturer+$32,000/yr
How to negotiate a higher architect salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time architect salary is $120,000; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Spatial and interior design and Engineering design and analysis tend to command a premium over general architect experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Construction Manager pays a typical $75,100 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Architect salary questions
How much do architects earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an architect is $120,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is architect pay rising or falling?
The median architect salary is up $25,200 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than architect?
Construction Manager pays a typical $75,100 a year more and draws on similar skills to architect.
Related salaries
- Construction Manager salary
- University Lecturer salary
- Interior Designer salary
- Landscape Architect salary
- Urban Designer salary
- Architectural Drafter salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.