### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Architects Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            						
							
				                                                
                                            




            			architects imageArchitects plan and design many different structures.							
						Quick Facts:     Architects2023     Median Pay
            						$93,310     per year
										$44.86     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    Bachelor's degreeWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    Internship/residencyNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    123,700Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    5% (Faster than average)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    6,000What Architects Do
                                                
                        
                        
Architects plan and design houses, factories, office buildings, and other structures.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Architects spend much of their time in offices, where they develop plans, meet with clients, and consult with engineers and other architects. They also visit construction sites to prepare initial drawings and review the progress of projects to ensure that clients’ objectives are met.
            
                                                How to Become an Architect
                                                
                        
There are typically three main steps to becoming a licensed architect: completing a bachelor’s degree in architecture, gaining relevant experience through a paid internship, and passing the Architect Registration Examination.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for architects was $93,310 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Employment							of architects is projected to grow							 5 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.
						About 8,200 openings for architects are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for architects.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of architects with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about architects by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Architects Do 
            

			ArchitectsArchitects use CADD during the design process.			
Architects plan and design houses, factories, office buildings, and other structures.
Duties
Architects typically do the following:
Meet with clients to determine objectives and requirements for structures
Give preliminary estimates on cost and construction time
Prepare structure specifications
Direct workers who prepare drawings and documents
Prepare scaled drawings, either with computer software or by hand
Prepare contract documents for building contractors
Manage construction contracts
Visit worksites to ensure that construction adheres to architectural plans
Seek new work by marketing and giving presentationsPeople need places to live, work, play, learn, shop, and eat. Architects are responsible for designing these places. They work on public or private projects and design both indoor and outdoor spaces. Architects can be commissioned to design anything from a single room to an entire complex of buildings.
Architects discuss with clients the objectives, requirements, and budget of a project. In some cases, architects provide predesign services, such as feasibility and environmental impact studies, site selection, cost analyses, and design requirements.
Architects develop final construction plans on the initial proposal after discussing with clients. The architects’ plans show the building’s appearance and details of its construction. These plans include drawings of the structural system; air-conditioning, heating, and ventilating systems; electrical systems; communications systems; and plumbing. Sometimes, landscape plans are included as well. In developing designs, architects must follow state and local building codes, zoning laws, fire regulations, and other ordinances, such as those requiring reasonable access for people with disabilities.
Architects use computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) and building information modeling (BIM) for creating designs and construction drawings. However, hand-drawing skills are still required, especially during the conceptual stages of a project and when an architect is at a construction site.
As construction continues, architects may visit building sites to ensure that contractors follow the design, adhere to the schedule, use the specified materials, and meet work-quality standards. The job is not complete until all construction is finished, required tests are conducted, and construction costs are paid.
Architects may also help clients get construction bids, select contractors, and negotiate construction contracts.
Architects often collaborate with workers in related occupations, such as civil engineers, urban and regional planners, drafters, interior designers, and landscape architects.
 Work Environment
			ArchitectsAlthough architects usually work in an office, they must also travel to construction sites.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Architects held about 123,700 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of architects were as follows:
        Architectural, engineering, and related services
                76%Self-employed workers
                13Construction
                4Government
                3Architects spend much of their time in offices, where they meet with clients, develop reports and drawings, and work with other architects and engineers. They also visit construction sites to ensure that clients’ objectives are met and to review the progress of projects. Some architects work from home offices.
Work Schedules
Most architects work full time and many work additional hours, especially when facing deadlines. Self-employed architects may have more flexible work schedules.
 How to Become an Architect

			ArchitectsArchitects need internships to gain practical experience.			
There are typically three main steps to becoming a licensed architect: completing a bachelor’s degree in architecture, gaining relevant experience through a paid internship, and passing the Architect Registration Examination.
Education
Architects typically need a bachelor's degree in architecture. Most architects earn their degree through a 5-year Bachelor of Architecture degree program. Many earn a master’s degree in architecture, which can take 1 to 5 additional years. The time required depends on the extent of the student’s previous education and training in architecture.
A typical bachelor’s degree program includes courses in architectural history and theory, building design with an emphasis on computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), structures, construction methods, professional practices, math, physical sciences, and liberal arts.
About two-thirds of states require that architects hold a degree in architecture from one of more than 120 schools of architecture accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). State licensing requirements can be found at the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB).
Training
All state architectural registration boards require architecture graduates to complete a lengthy paid internship—generally lasting 3 years—before they may sit for the Architect Registration Examination. Most new graduates complete their training period by working at architectural firms through the Architectural Experience Program (AXP), a program run by NCARB that guides students through the internship process. Some states allow a portion of the training to occur in the offices of employers in related careers, such as engineers and general contractors. Architecture students who complete internships while still in school can count some of that time toward the 3-year training period.
Interns in architectural firms may help design part of a project. They may help prepare architectural documents and drawings, build models, and prepare construction drawings on CADD. Interns may also research building codes and write specifications for building materials, installation criteria, the quality of finishes, and other related details. Licensed architects take the documents that interns produce, make edits to them, finalize plans, and then sign and seal the documents.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
All states and the District of Columbia require architects to be licensed. Licensing requirements typically include completing a degree program in architecture, gaining relevant experience through a paid internship, and passing the Architect Registration Examination.
Most states also require some form of continuing education to keep a license. Continuing education requirements vary by state but usually involve additional education through workshops, university classes, conferences, self-study courses, or other sources.
Advancement
After many years of work experience, some architects advance to become architectural and engineering managers. These managers typically coordinate the activities of employees and may work on larger construction projects.
Important Qualities
***Analytical skills*.** Architects must understand the content of designs and the context in which they were created. For example, architects must understand the locations of mechanical systems and how those systems affect building operations.
***Communication skills*.** Architects share their ideas, both in oral presentations and in writing, with clients, other architects, and workers who help prepare drawings. Many also give presentations to explain their ideas and designs.
***Creativity*.** Architects design the overall look of houses, buildings, and other structures. They must ensure that the final product is both attractive and functional.
***Organizational skills*.** Architects often manage contracts. Therefore, they must keep records related to the details of a project, including total cost, materials used, and progress.
***Technical skills*.** Architects need to use CADD technology to create plans as part of building information modeling (BIM).
***Visualization skills*.** Architects must be able to envision how the parts of a structure relate to each other. They also must be able to visualize how the overall building will look once completed.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                ArchitectsMedian annual wages, May 2023Architects, except landscape and naval$93,310  Architects, surveyors, and cartographers$80,850  Total, all occupations$48,060Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for architects was $93,310 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $58,870, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $151,300.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median annual wages for architects in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Government
                $106,540Architectural, engineering, and related services
                89,970Construction
                84,240Most architects work full time and many work additional hours, especially when facing deadlines. Self-employed architects may have more flexible work hours.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
                ArchitectsPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Architects, except landscape and naval5%  Architects, surveyors, and cartographers4%  Total, all occupations3%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of architects is projected to grow				 5 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.
			
			About 8,200 openings for architects are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
Architects are expected to be needed to make plans and designs, particularly in sustainable design, for the construction and renovation of homes, schools, healthcare facilities, and other structures. Improved building information modeling (BIM) software and measuring technology are expected to allow architects to take on activities once performed by other workers, such as architectural and civil drafters, interior designers, and engineers.
			

                        Employment projections data for     architects, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Architects, except landscape and naval**
			17-1011
			123,700
			129,700
			5
			6,000
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Architects, except landscape and naval **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of architects. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Civil Engineers**
            Civil engineers plan, design, and supervise the construction and maintenance of building and infrastructure projects.
            Bachelor's degree
            $95,890**Construction Managers**
            Construction managers plan, coordinate, budget, and supervise construction projects from start to finish.
            Bachelor's degree
            $104,900**Drafters**
            Drafters use software to convert the designs of engineers and architects into technical drawings.
            Associate's degree
            $62,530**Industrial Designers**
            Industrial designers combine art, business, and engineering to develop the concepts for manufactured products.
            Bachelor's degree
            $76,250**Landscape Architects**
            Landscape architects design parks and other outdoor spaces.
            Bachelor's degree
            $79,320**Urban and Regional Planners**
            Urban and regional planners develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities in cities, counties, metropolitan areas, and other jurisdictions.
            Master's degree
            $81,800**Architectural and Engineering Managers**
            Architectural and engineering managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities in the fields of architecture and engineering.
            Bachelor's degree
            $165,370**Surveying and Mapping Technicians**
            Surveying and mapping technicians collect data and make maps of the Earth's surface.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $48,940**Surveyors**
            Surveyors make precise measurements to determine property boundaries.
            Bachelor's degree
            $68,540**Construction and Building Inspectors**
            Construction and building inspectors ensure that construction meets building codes and ordinances, zoning regulations, and contract specifications.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $67,700
 Contacts for More Information
								
For information about careers in architecture, visit
American Institute of Architects
National Architectural Accrediting Board
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Architects, Except Landscape and Naval
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Architects, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/architects.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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