Where is it easiest to open: Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services
51 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 17-1011” (soc) for Architects, Except Landscape and Naval. A blank gate means NO RECORD MATCHED, which is not the same as no licence.
| State | Operators | Avg staff | Pay / employee | Gate | Licence titles matched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FL | 641 | 9.5 | $64,072 | licence | Architect |
| TX | 594 | 12.8 | $73,692 | exam | ARCHITECT |
| CA | 473 | 8.3 | $94,543 | licence | Architects (Architectural Practice) |
| NC | 349 | 6.9 | $62,612 | exam | Architect (By Exam); Architect by Reciprocity |
| NY | 316 | 6.4 | $77,868 | exam | Architect |
| CO | 229 | 9.4 | $86,753 | exam | Architect |
| GA | 188 | 8.5 | $66,184 | exam | Registered Architect |
| PA | 156 | 8.1 | $76,186 | exam | Architect |
| NJ | 151 | 10.4 | $93,558 | exam | ARCHITECT |
| WA | 150 | 10.6 | $93,176 | exam | Architect |
| VA | 147 | 11.1 | $75,879 | exam | Architect License |
| SC | 142 | 6.5 | $56,975 | licence | Architect; Architect Construction Manager |
| MA | 136 | 6.6 | $82,732 | licence | ARCHITECT |
| TN | 127 | 12.1 | $96,921 | exam | PROFESSIONAL ARCHITECT |
| OH | 125 | 7.7 | $67,872 | exam | Architect |
| IL | 123 | 6.6 | $68,360 | exam | ARCHITECT |
| AZ | 112 | 6.2 | $69,986 | licence | Architect |
| OR | 105 | 8.8 | $81,219 | licence | Architect |
| MD | 97 | 7.3 | $59,223 | licence | ARCHITECT; ARCHITECT CORPORATION |
| LA | 92 | 16.6 | $76,382 | exam | Architect |
| AL | 91 | 6.4 | $71,283 | exam | Registered Architect |
| IN | 90 | 7.3 | $67,533 | exam | Architect |
| MI | 85 | 6.9 | $76,666 | exam | Architects |
| OK | 80 | 8.2 | $63,856 | licence | Architect |
| MO | 74 | 9.4 | $76,704 | exam | Architect |
| CT | 73 | 5.2 | $78,199 | licence | Architect |
| UT | 69 | 10.4 | $93,920 | licence | ARCHITECT |
| ME | 67 | 8.4 | $83,234 | exam | Architect |
| WI | 66 | 14.0 | $83,948 | exam | ARCHITECT |
| AR | 60 | 4.2 | $62,155 | exam | Architect |
| AK | 57 | 4.9 | $84,878 | licence | Architect |
| MN | 53 | 8.7 | $82,028 | licence | Architect |
| MT | 52 | 4.3 | $64,808 | licence | Architects and Landscape - Architect E; Architects & Landscape - Architect |
| NV | 49 | 7.6 | $79,182 | not matched | — |
| NH | 46 | 5.8 | $66,015 | exam | Architect |
| KY | 41 | 7.3 | $67,795 | exam | Architect |
| NM | 38 | 5.1 | $70,886 | exam | Licensed Architect |
| ID | 34 | 5.4 | $63,131 | exam | Architect |
| MS | 34 | 4.7 | $65,130 | licence | Architect |
| HI | 27 | 11.5 | $90,697 | exam | Architect |
| VT | 27 | 2.9 | $64,089 | exam | Architect |
| DE | 25 | 6.2 | $56,474 | exam | Architect |
| WY | 25 | 6.0 | $76,624 | exam | ARCHITECT |
| RI | 24 | 3.8 | $62,615 | exam | Architect |
| KS | 18 | 8.4 | $80,072 | exam | Architect |
| NE | 17 | 12.6 | $104,744 | licence | Architect; Architectural Engineer |
| WV | 13 | 4.4 | $58,947 | not matched | — |
| IA | 11 | 7.3 | $96,575 | licence | Architect, Licensed |
| SD | 10 | 7.2 | $71,389 | licence | Architect |
| ND | 8 | 6.2 | $87,360 | exam | Architects |
| DC | 3 | 6.7 | $73,250 | exam | ARCHITECTURE |
Axes are shown side by side and deliberately NOT collapsed into a ranking. A composite would be a score with no measured interval, and an unmeasured score is the thing this product exists to argue against. A high licence gate is a cost to enter and a moat once cleared — which of those matters more is the operator's call, not ours.
Licence data courtesy of CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. Free to read, no account, always — a condition of the data licence as well as our own position.