Your work. Your records.
Architect Workplace Records
Architectural work moves through briefs, design revisions, client reviews and contract documents. An employment concern may hinge on which version was approved and who controlled a deadline. Describe your assigned contribution rather than using a finished design or project outcome as a complete measure of your work.
Call now(800) 800-5555Free initial case evaluation. Representation depends on work state and case eligibility. This guide explains record preparation; it does not determine whether a legal claim exists.
A record map for your role
What to organize first
Revision trail
List the brief, requested changes and approval dates connected to the disputed assignment.
Dependencies
Identify missing discipline input or approval and the date you asked for clarification.
Own evaluation
Keep your performance feedback and response together without adding restricted client or design materials.
Start with the work you actually do
Plan and design structures, such as private residences, office buildings, theaters, factories, and other structural property.
O*NET classifies this occupation as Architects, Except Landscape and Naval (17-1011.00). Its description covers a typical occupation, not every workplace or individual job. It does not establish employee status, overtime eligibility or employer misconduct.
- Prepare scale drawings or architectural designs, using computer-aided design or other tools.Source task 20479 · updated 08/2026
- Plan or design structures such as residences, office buildings, theatres, factories, or other structural properties in accordance with environmental, safety, or other regulations.Source task 19596 · updated 08/2026
- Meet with clients to review or discuss architectural drawings.Source task 20481 · updated 08/2026
- Prepare contract documents for building contractors.Source task 134 · updated 08/2026
A reference point for your pay records
May 2025 wage estimates by state
Compare your pay records with published BLS estimates for Architects, Except Landscape and Naval (SOC 17-1011). These describe an occupation across employers. They are not a required pay rate, an overtime calculation, or evidence of discrimination or unpaid wages.
Select your work state to see its published pay range. No personal pay information is requested or sent.
The 25th and 75th percentiles mark the middle half of the estimated wage distribution; the median is its midpoint. Actual pay can differ with experience, employer, location and duties. Hourly and annual figures are shown as published, without converting one into the other.
All published state estimates for this occupation
| State | Hourly 25th | Hourly median | Hourly 75th | Annual median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $36.70 | $46.15 | $64.02 | $95,990 |
| Alaska | $38.14 | $52.27 | $62.50 | $108,730 |
| Arizona | $40.42 | $49.04 | $59.80 | $102,000 |
| Arkansas | $30.85 | $37.59 | $48.31 | $78,190 |
| Connecticut | $37.75 | $49.78 | $59.69 | $103,540 |
| Delaware | $44.09 | $46.65 | $56.99 | $97,030 |
| Florida | $36.80 | $46.27 | $59.11 | $96,240 |
| Georgia | $40.00 | $48.28 | $62.89 | $100,420 |
| Hawaii | $35.43 | $49.20 | $51.62 | $102,340 |
| Idaho | $33.11 | $45.05 | $51.92 | $93,710 |
| Indiana | $30.31 | $46.19 | $61.27 | $96,060 |
| Iowa | $32.61 | $46.54 | $58.68 | $96,810 |
| Kansas | $35.25 | $41.10 | $49.76 | $85,490 |
| Kentucky | $36.26 | $46.96 | $55.99 | $97,680 |
| Louisiana | $29.38 | $38.26 | $53.34 | $79,580 |
| Maine | $31.47 | $37.79 | $48.63 | $78,600 |
| Michigan | $32.39 | $42.51 | $52.07 | $88,430 |
| Minnesota | $37.99 | $48.05 | $58.79 | $99,940 |
| Mississippi | $32.41 | $38.88 | $54.89 | $80,870 |
| Missouri | $37.28 | $47.35 | $61.72 | $98,490 |
| Montana | $35.91 | $46.77 | $61.49 | $97,290 |
| Nebraska | $29.07 | $44.01 | $54.58 | $91,530 |
| New Hampshire | $36.46 | $48.61 | $51.93 | $101,100 |
| New Mexico | $29.35 | $37.37 | $47.06 | $77,720 |
| New York | $37.00 | $47.73 | $61.87 | $99,280 |
| North Carolina | $37.98 | $46.01 | $59.12 | $95,700 |
| North Dakota | $38.03 | $46.69 | $59.23 | $97,110 |
| Ohio | $30.99 | $45.65 | $58.94 | $94,960 |
| Oklahoma | $36.36 | $48.25 | $58.20 | $100,350 |
| Pennsylvania | $35.36 | $46.65 | $58.43 | $97,030 |
| Rhode Island | $38.37 | $50.56 | $60.59 | $105,160 |
| South Dakota | $36.96 | $49.28 | $61.64 | $102,500 |
| Tennessee | $36.57 | $45.21 | $56.78 | $94,030 |
| Texas | $36.89 | $45.43 | $58.49 | $94,490 |
| Utah | $37.32 | $45.96 | $59.93 | $95,590 |
| Vermont | $30.48 | $39.61 | $48.07 | $82,400 |
| Virginia | $37.65 | $46.96 | $60.46 | $97,680 |
| West Virginia | $38.10 | $46.38 | $50.73 | $96,470 |
| Wisconsin | $38.43 | $47.36 | $57.94 | $98,510 |
| Wyoming | $37.94 | $57.97 | $59.37 | $120,580 |
“Not published” preserves unavailable or suppressed source cells. “Above reporting limit” preserves a top-coded source value without inventing a number. A missing state estimate does not establish service eligibility. The data describe wage and salary employment; they do not measure self-employment income.
Source: BLS May 2025 state workbook · OEWS tables · BLS technical notes. Use your own schedule, pay statement and compensation terms to identify the question you want reviewed.
Trace the design decision
Identify the general project stage, brief and revision instruction. Note who requested a change, who approved it and when the direction reached you. Distinguish a concept, review draft and issued document so later revisions are not treated as instructions available during earlier work.
Explain review and coordination duties
Record preparation for reviews, responses to comments and coordination with other disciplines relevant to your workload. Note missing inputs or approvals you raised before the deadline. Use your own permitted assignment messages and evaluation rather than copying a complete project workspace to reconstruct responsibility.
Protect client and design assets
Do not remove drawings, models, bids, client contracts or sensitive building information. Identify the relevant document type and revision date for review. Keep your own employment agreement and feedback separately; professional title alone does not settle the employment arrangement or legal coverage.
Choose your next step
Review the workplace retaliation guide, unpaid wages guide, or discrimination guide if those concerns fit your experience. A job title alone does not establish a claim.
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