Cold email software for architecture firms
Acqro gives commercial architecture firms cold email that researches each prospect's company before writing. Below: verified federal data on the industry across all 50 states, the buyers it sells to, and a playbook for outreach that earns replies.
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How many architecture firms are in the United States?
The United States had 22,805 establishments in NAICS 541310, architectural services, in 2023, employing 189,468 people. The largest markets by establishments were California, New York and Florida. Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns.
Architecture firms in the US by the numbers
- US establishments
- 22,805+0.8% vs 2022Census CBP 2023, NAICS 541310
- Paid employees
- 189,468Census CBP 2023
- Average annual pay
- $98,717Census CBP 2023
- Firms under 10 employees
- 81.2%Census CBP 2023
- Largest state
- CaliforniaBy establishments, CBP 2023
Census does not publish a separate category for commercial architecture firms; figures use NAICS 541310, Architectural Services, the closest official industry. 81.2% of establishments have fewer than 10 employees, so most firms in the industry run outbound with a founder or a very small sales team. The 4,250 firms with 10 to 249 employees are the ones most likely to be building a repeatable outbound process.
The five largest states hold 44.5% of all establishments. Among states with at least 100 establishments, the fastest growth between 2022 and 2023 was in Iowa (+6.3%), Florida (+5.0%) and Virginia (+4.0%). Growing markets bring new competitors and new buyers at the same time, which rewards outreach that is specific rather than volume-driven.
Architecture firms by state
All states and DC ranked by number of establishments, with the change since 2022.
| Rank | State | Establishments | Employees | Change vs 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 3,723 | 28,989 | +0.6% |
| 2 | New York | 2,099 | 17,536 | −1.6% |
| 3 | Florida | 1,741 | 9,849 | +5.0% |
| 4 | Texas | 1,641 | 16,005 | +2.9% |
| 5 | Illinois | 944 | 8,573 | +0.5% |
| 6 | Colorado | 844 | 5,495 | +2.6% |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 728 | 7,518 | −0.4% |
| 8 | Washington | 723 | 6,439 | −0.4% |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | 662 | 6,527 | −1.2% |
| 10 | New Jersey | 647 | 4,106 | +0.2% |
| 11 | North Carolina | 625 | 4,625 | +3.1% |
| 12 | Georgia | 591 | 5,314 | +2.2% |
| 13 | Arizona | 544 | 3,517 | +0.7% |
| 14 | Ohio | 536 | 5,529 | −0.9% |
| 15 | Virginia | 465 | 4,110 | +4.0% |
| 16 | Michigan | 436 | 3,353 | +2.6% |
| 17 | Oregon | 366 | 3,320 | −0.8% |
| 18 | Maryland | 345 | 2,754 | +0.3% |
| 19 | Missouri | 333 | 4,390 | +3.4% |
| 20 | Minnesota | 324 | 4,173 | −6.1% |
| 21 | South Carolina | 305 | 1,732 | +1.7% |
| 22 | Louisiana | 293 | 1,850 | +2.4% |
| 23 | Tennessee | 277 | 2,947 | +2.2% |
| 24 | Utah | 259 | 1,889 | −2.6% |
| 25 | Connecticut | 239 | 1,729 | +2.6% |
| 26 | Wisconsin | 232 | 2,840 | +0.4% |
| 27 | Indiana | 225 | 2,332 | −4.7% |
| 28 | Alabama | 206 | 1,271 | +2.5% |
| 29 | Oklahoma | 197 | 1,618 | +1.0% |
| 30 | Idaho | 173 | 897 | +1.2% |
| 31 | District of Columbia | 171 | 3,229 | −5.0% |
| 32 | Nevada | 170 | 1,132 | +3.0% |
| 33 | Montana | 155 | 1,041 | −1.3% |
| 34 | Hawaii | 152 | 968 | +2.0% |
| 35 | Arkansas | 142 | 1,352 | +2.9% |
| 36 | Kansas | 140 | 1,413 | −0.7% |
| 37 | Kentucky | 136 | 1,602 | +0.7% |
| 38 | Maine | 124 | 713 | +2.5% |
| 39 | New Mexico | 119 | 854 | −7.8% |
| 40 | Iowa | 118 | 1,178 | +6.3% |
| 41 | Nebraska | 97 | 1,306 | 0.0% |
| 42 | Mississippi | 92 | 557 | 0.0% |
| 43 | Vermont | 83 | 396 | −1.2% |
| 44 | Rhode Island | 77 | 460 | −2.5% |
| 45 | New Hampshire | 71 | 396 | −6.6% |
| 46 | Wyoming | 65 | 305 | +10.2% |
| 47 | North Dakota | 41 | 455 | +5.1% |
| 48 | South Dakota | 39 | 282 | −9.3% |
| 49 | Alaska | 36 | 220 | −2.7% |
| 50 | Delaware | 28 | 167 | −6.7% |
| 51 | West Virginia | 26 | 215 | 0.0% |
Who architecture firms sell to
Common buyer industries for commercial architecture firms, with US establishment counts and how many have 10 to 249 employees.
| Buyer industry | Establishments | 10–249 employees | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lessors of Real Estate | 136,539 | 10,403 | 605,793 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 5,777 | 1,597 | 5,815,843 |
| Traveler Accommodation | 60,776 | 30,289 | 1,905,596 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 3,989 | 1,504 | 1,862,528 |
How architecture firms should run cold email
Commercial architecture firms sell commercial architecture, planning and design services for new builds and renovations. These are the contacts, triggers and messages that make a first email relevant rather than generic.
Who to email
- Owner or developer
- Director of facilities or real estate
- COO at growing companies
- Capital projects lead at institutions
Signals worth researching
- Land or property acquisitions
- Expansion or renovation announcements
- Capital project approvals and planning filings
- Growth that outpaces existing facilities
What to say
- Reference the project or acquisition
- Share relevant, comparable work
- Offer an early feasibility conversation
What to avoid
- Portfolio dumps
- Contacting after a design team is already selected
Cold email for architecture firms, answered
How many architecture firms are there in the US?
There were 22,805 establishments in NAICS 541310 (Architectural Services) in 2023, employing 189,468 people. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
Which states have the most architecture firms?
By establishments in 2023: California (3,723), New York (2,099), Florida (1,741), Texas (1,641) and Illinois (944). Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
How do architecture firms find commercial clients?
Watch for early project signals: property acquisitions, expansion announcements, capital plans and planning filings. Reaching owners before a design team is selected, with one relevant example of comparable work, is far more effective than sending a portfolio.
Who hires an architect for commercial projects?
Owners and developers, facilities and real estate directors at companies, and capital projects leaders at hospitals, universities and other institutions.
Is cold email legal in the United States?
Yes. The federal CAN-SPAM Act permits commercial email to business contacts without prior consent, provided the message identifies the sender accurately, uses a truthful subject line, includes a valid physical postal address and a working opt-out, and honours opt-out requests promptly. CAN-SPAM applies in every state and preempts most state commercial email laws, except provisions aimed at falsity or deception. This is general information, not legal advice.
Explore related pages
Architecture Firms by state
Other industries
Sources and methodology
Every figure on this page comes from a federal statistical release and is shown with its source and reference year. Figures the agencies withhold or publish with high noise are left out rather than estimated. Page updated September 17, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 and 2022: establishments, paid employment for the pay period including March 12, annual payroll, and establishments by employment size. Industries use NAICS 2017 codes.
- Industry definition: NAICS 541310, Architectural Services, used as the closest official category for commercial architecture firms.
Built for architecture firms who sell to a finite list
Acqro researches every account on your list and writes the first email from what it finds.
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