Careers

There are approximately 100,000 licensed architects in the United States today, including some who are retired and others who are not working as architects. In addition, substantial numbers of non-licensed people are working in architectural offices.

There are approximately 25,000 students enrolled in accredited degree programs in the United States. In 2014, 14,000 students were enrolled in Bachelor of Architecture programs and 11,000 in Master of Architecture programs, and 120 in Doctor of Architecture programs.

Determining the demand for new graduates is complicated by many factors, not the least of which is the apparent desire of many graduates to pursue a career other than one in an architecture office. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of architects is projected to grow 7 percent from 2014 to 2024, about as fast as the average for all occupations. (http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/architects.htm).

Beginning salaries for architecture interns fluctuate, depending in part on geographical location, demand due to building activity, availability of applicants, and, most important, the capability of the individual applicant. A beginning intern architect typically earns $47,000 per year. Since a new graduate must work as an intern architect for three years before taking the licensing exam and becoming a registered architect, the salaries are for interns, not registered architects. Essentially, your internship salary allows you to earn an income while completing the last two or three years of your education.

The median wage for architects (licensed and non-licensed) in the United States is $36/hour, or just over $74,000/year. At the top of the pay scale, 10% of architects earn $57/hour or more, while 90% of architects earn at least $22/hour. In Canada, the median earnings are $29/hour CAD, while the top 10% earn over $50/hour and 90% of architects earn at least $19/hour (http://www.acsa-arch.org/resources/data-resources/architect-wages-across-the-u-s-and-canada).

By comparison, in the United States interior designers have median wages of approximately $23/hour or $48,500/year; for landscape architects, median wages are $31/hour or $64,790/year; and for civil engineers, median wages are $39/hour or $80,310/year.

There is considerable opportunity for architecture graduates to select both the type and size of office in which they work. Traditional architectural practices are usually structured on one of two basic models. The first model consists of a series of departmental specializations: designers, specification writers, structural experts, landscape designers, production draftsmen, etc. A job starts in one division and is passed to the next as work progresses. In such instances very few people will “see the job all the way through,” but each performs a specific function for each job the office undertakes.

The other model divides the office into teams, each team being responsible for the project from start to finish. There may be various specialists on the team or consultants may be employed. A team may be working on several jobs simultaneously, but will have little, if any, responsibility for other projects being undertaken by other teams.

Few offices precisely fit these simplified models, and many have certain aspects of both. Some architectural firms subcontract with consultants and other firms for major portions of the project, thus keeping their own staff to a minimal number. In fact, principals of large firms may spend little of their time on actual design or drawings for new buildings.

Architectural employees may be paid either an hourly wage or annual salary. Most firms expect more than 40 hours per week during busy times, which can be frequent. Some firms have profit-sharing plans for those who are not partners. Often extra hours are spent at tedious and exacting tasks. Nearly every field includes work that is less than stimulating, and architecture is no exception. Many mundane tasks must be done carefully. Architecture is not quite what was depicted in Ayn Rand’s Fountainhead .

Architects working in larger firms are not solely responsible for a complete building. A large and complex building, such as a $100-million hospital, may require three to four years from preliminary programming to completion, with as many as 40 people working nearly full-time on this one project.

Depending on the particular model (or variation thereof) a firm follows, the roles available for architects within the firm may range from design to management, or anywhere in-between. While larger firms may offer opportunities to specialize in a particular aspect of the practice, smaller firms often require the architect to master many different facets of the profession. Common practice roles include project management, facilities planning, site planning and design, technical research and specifications, document production, contract administration, urban design and planning, interior design, and practice management.

Because of the breadth of architecture programs in both the arts and sciences, the public and the private sectors offer a wide range of opportunities for architecture degree holders. In addition to traditional practice in firms, architecture graduates are commonly employed in public and government agencies, community design and urban planning firms, building and construction firms, community development corporations, and building product manufacturers. Alternate career paths may lead into related disciplines as well, such as architectural history, landscape architecture, planning, interior design, industrial design, graphic design, real estate, or engineering, to name just a few. Teaching and research provide yet another practice setting for many architecture graduates. Many of these alternate career paths do not require architectural licensure, but may necessitate additional education, training, or certification required by the particular allied profession.

http://archinect.com/features/tag/1149/working-out-of-the-box

This series from Archinect features architecture graduates who have applied their unique backgrounds to alternative career paths. Among them:

• Artist
• Architecture Theorist
• Production/Art Designer
• Sculptor
• Mosaic Artist / Pattern Designer
• Jewelry Designer, LEGO Model Designer
• Sacred Space Conservationist, Illustrator
• Product Designer
• WeWork – co-working spaces
• Design Leads – Windows at Microsoft
• 3D Sugar Printing Designers
• Fashion Designer
• Public Design Instigator
• Creative Director
• Healthcare Technology
• Public Arts – muralsinstallations, media
• Experimental fashion blogger stylist and writer
• Co-founder of Pinterest
• Web Designer

To protect the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens, each state has regulations for the licensing of architects. Before a person can claim the title architect, most states require three components for a license, often referred to as the “three E’s”:

• Education: a professional degree (B. Arch, M. Arch, D. Arch)
• Experience: the completion of the Intern Development Program.
• Exam: passing the nationwide Architect Registration Exam.

Many architects hold a license in more than one state. A system of national reciprocity has been established by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). While these requirements describe most states, each state is different, and licensing laws can be revised.

The preparation to become an architect involves academic education as well as an internship period in the profession. Education and practice offer complementary learning experiences. While not required in every state, the Intern Development Program (IDP) is a national program that structures the learning goals for the internship period.

Typical IDP requirements include time spent in different aspects of professional work, such as design, project management, construction administration, and community service.

Even before one’s first job, architecture students, in professional degree programs should enroll in the IDP program through NCARB. As a result, students will receive up-to-date information about requirements, which include a time limit on reporting experience. Furthermore, employment while in school will often count toward IDP credit.