Quick answer: The Tampa metro employs about 880 architects (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through your state architecture registration board.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Architects are registered by state boards. The national path is a NAAB-accredited professional degree, the NCARB Architectural Experience Program, and the Architect Registration Examination (ARE). A degree that is not NAAB-accredited generally does not satisfy the education requirement on its own.
See the Florida licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state architecture registration board.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
This page lists 7 schools within 206 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 7 of them carry a score.
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Architects in the Tampa area earn a median $94,610 per year, below the national median of $99,280 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Tampa metro | Florida | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $94,610 | $96,240 | $99,280 |
| 10th percentile | $59,990 | $59,990 | $62,300 |
| 25th percentile | $72,860 | $76,550 | $77,960 |
| 75th percentile | $121,130 | $122,940 | $126,550 |
| 90th percentile | $157,100 | $138,230 | $161,420 |
| Employment | 880 | 5,580 | 106,770 |
| Location quotient | 0.89 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metropolitan statistical area.
The Tampa median of $94,610 is below the national median of $99,280, and below the Florida statewide median of $96,240 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.89 means architects are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Miami | $97,500 | 1,810 |
| Orlando | $96,190 | 1,000 |
| Jacksonville | $99,230 | 380 |
| North Port | $96,040 | 160 |
| Cape Coral | $94,110 | 150 |
| Naples | $83,470 | 140 |
| Pensacola | $90,010 | 120 |
| Palm Bay | $94,150 | 100 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
The median annual wage for architects in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metro area is $94,610, below the national median of $99,280 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metro area employs about 880 architects (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Architects are registered by state boards. The national path is a NAAB-accredited professional degree, the NCARB Architectural Experience Program, and the Architect Registration Examination (ARE). A degree that is not NAAB-accredited generally does not satisfy the education requirement on its own. Confirm current requirements with your state architecture registration board.
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state architecture registration board.
The Tampa metro median is $94,610 against a statewide median of $96,240 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
