Hello, I was wondering if $24,000-$27,000 was too low for a full time drafter position in Fort Lauderdale, Fl? I was expecting that an Intern Architect would at least be getting something between $40,000-$50,000. Thanks for any feedback.
Non Sequitur
Aug 14, 14 2:54 pm
$27k per year... what is that, $12 per hour? I was making that much when still in High-School more than 15 years ago...
35K to 45K is the range I'm used to seeing depending on experience but I have no idea if Florida is any different.
jdparnell1218
Aug 14, 14 2:59 pm
$15/HR is probably what you should be looking for.
Anob
Aug 14, 14 5:12 pm
Is this your first job?
Snoopy316
Aug 14, 14 5:35 pm
All depends on your experience and what you prove you can do. Ask for a review after your probation period if there is one. Normally 3-6 months. If you're good and feel you should be on more then either ask for more or start looking for a better place. For this day and age I say 38k + min. for a unsupervised draft person. Anything less would be considered slave labour.
archanonymous
Aug 14, 14 6:00 pm
35-38k minimum depending on cost of living.
I accepted a far-too-low offer for my first job and it has haunted me since. 5 years later it is the difference between making $50k and $85k.
archmart
Aug 14, 14 8:20 pm
I'm a recent Architecture graduate. I graduated from the University of Buenos Aires so it would be my first job in the U.S. I'm actually from the U.S., but have been in Argentina for a while... I have worked as a drafter here (Arg.), but I don't know if that makes a difference over there since construction documentation, codes, etc. are different. I've been sending resumes, but the only response I got was this.... makes me wonder if a 6 year degree in Architecture was really worth it...
Aug 15, 14 12:37 am
Snoopy316,
Actually, $24K is not slave labor. It depends on the actual position.
A position that requires a 1 year CAD certificate or a 2 yr Associates in Architectural drafting would often be $12/hour as an entry level IDP intern was traditionally after having a 4 yr Bachelors of Arts/Science in Architecture or senior (or recent graduate) of 5yr B.Arch.
This was what you might have expected pre-IDP 2.0 era.
Positions were tiered more considering people couldn't start IDP until their third or fourth year of a B.A./B.S. in Architecture or B.Arch when they become a senior.
You wouldn't pay a person with an Associates degree as much as someone with a Bachelor's level education.
The employer sounds like a throw-back.
$24K-$28K sounds like a typical pay for person with only an Associates level degree. Lets remember that Florida does have schools with Associates level degrees in Architectural drafting (CAD and manual drafting).
Florida, IIRC, is a little over minimum wage at $7.93. This was what Oregon was at around 2007. That's 7 to 8 years ago.
$12/hr. is still a fair deal in that state.
This isn't Seattle, Washington or Oregon. $12/hr isn't minimum wage.
It isn't great pay in expensive states like Oregon and Washington.
Aug 15, 14 1:32 am
archsmart,
I wouldn't take the job offer if they are expecting you to have a bachelor's degree in architecture. I expect a drafter fresh out of an associates degree in architecture school to be paid $12/hr.
Anything more than that would commensorate with years of experience.
A general rule of thumb is a year of college is sort of equivalent to a year of experience.
Yes, some jobs requires a degree plus experience. In those cases, such as a bachelors degree plus three years experience. The rough equivalent without a degree would be 7 to 8 years of experience. Of course employability all boils down to having the knowledge and skills the employer is looking for.
You can translate degrees into years of education and/or experience or combo.
Any position requiring a degree is unlikely to pay less than $15/hr. because we those of us with degrees have student loans and we won't work for minimum wage. We need to be paid enough so we can pay off student loans. Employers knows that. They wouldn't. They been there and will likely pay more.
However, a person with experience will also command more to commensorate experience. Fair and reasonable.
I suspect the job in question is really a job intended for graduates of an Associates in Architectural Drafting from either a community college or university. A typical IDP intern position would be paid more but they would expect a bachelor's level degree in architecture for the $15/hr.
Then again, the level of responsibilities for someone with a $15/hr. needs someone with the knowledge and skills of someone having completed 4 years of a B.Arch and been through much of their intermediate level studio courses and subject courses. Although not yet to terminal studio. Some employers may still want completion of the bachelor's degree for such positions because some people don't want to hire people still in college taking classes as that messes with scheduling work. Therefore a logistic nightmare for staffing people to projects.
If you really need the money, I suppose you could take the job but you need to move up in pay level pretty quickly.
Snoopy316
Aug 15, 14 2:53 am
Thanks Richard, I don't mean literally slave labour.
$12per hour or roughly 24k a year for a Architect Graduate is way too low. I will feel bad paying someone that kind of money in my office. That is something I would pay a student while in 2nd or 3rd year. Of course to the right person who can do the job.
Non Sequitur
Aug 15, 14 8:37 am
12$ per hour is laughable. I say take the job but keep looking for something else everyday. The second someone else offers you a real paid position, ditch the scrooge.
archmart
Aug 19, 14 2:59 am
Thanks for the advice everyone. Good tips.
Abraham Melendez
Aug 19, 14 2:32 pm
If you want to draft get into structural drafting. It pays way more ($18-$25/hr)and you'll use your arch. knowledge. Revit experince is a plus. I did it for several years before arch. school.
Hello, I was wondering if $24,000-$27,000 was too low for a full time drafter position in Fort Lauderdale, Fl? I was expecting that an Intern Architect would at least be getting something between $40,000-$50,000. Thanks for any feedback.
$27k per year... what is that, $12 per hour? I was making that much when still in High-School more than 15 years ago...
35K to 45K is the range I'm used to seeing depending on experience but I have no idea if Florida is any different.
$15/HR is probably what you should be looking for.
Is this your first job?
All depends on your experience and what you prove you can do. Ask for a review after your probation period if there is one. Normally 3-6 months. If you're good and feel you should be on more then either ask for more or start looking for a better place. For this day and age I say 38k + min. for a unsupervised draft person. Anything less would be considered slave labour.
35-38k minimum depending on cost of living.
I accepted a far-too-low offer for my first job and it has haunted me since. 5 years later it is the difference between making $50k and $85k.
I'm a recent Architecture graduate. I graduated from the University of Buenos Aires so it would be my first job in the U.S. I'm actually from the U.S., but have been in Argentina for a while... I have worked as a drafter here (Arg.), but I don't know if that makes a difference over there since construction documentation, codes, etc. are different. I've been sending resumes, but the only response I got was this.... makes me wonder if a 6 year degree in Architecture was really worth it...
Snoopy316,
Actually, $24K is not slave labor. It depends on the actual position.
A position that requires a 1 year CAD certificate or a 2 yr Associates in Architectural drafting would often be $12/hour as an entry level IDP intern was traditionally after having a 4 yr Bachelors of Arts/Science in Architecture or senior (or recent graduate) of 5yr B.Arch.
This was what you might have expected pre-IDP 2.0 era.
Positions were tiered more considering people couldn't start IDP until their third or fourth year of a B.A./B.S. in Architecture or B.Arch when they become a senior.
You wouldn't pay a person with an Associates degree as much as someone with a Bachelor's level education.
The employer sounds like a throw-back.
$24K-$28K sounds like a typical pay for person with only an Associates level degree. Lets remember that Florida does have schools with Associates level degrees in Architectural drafting (CAD and manual drafting).
Florida, IIRC, is a little over minimum wage at $7.93. This was what Oregon was at around 2007. That's 7 to 8 years ago.
$12/hr. is still a fair deal in that state.
This isn't Seattle, Washington or Oregon. $12/hr isn't minimum wage.
It isn't great pay in expensive states like Oregon and Washington.
archsmart,
I wouldn't take the job offer if they are expecting you to have a bachelor's degree in architecture. I expect a drafter fresh out of an associates degree in architecture school to be paid $12/hr.
Anything more than that would commensorate with years of experience.
A general rule of thumb is a year of college is sort of equivalent to a year of experience.
Yes, some jobs requires a degree plus experience. In those cases, such as a bachelors degree plus three years experience. The rough equivalent without a degree would be 7 to 8 years of experience. Of course employability all boils down to having the knowledge and skills the employer is looking for.
You can translate degrees into years of education and/or experience or combo.
Any position requiring a degree is unlikely to pay less than $15/hr. because we those of us with degrees have student loans and we won't work for minimum wage. We need to be paid enough so we can pay off student loans. Employers knows that. They wouldn't. They been there and will likely pay more.
However, a person with experience will also command more to commensorate experience. Fair and reasonable.
I suspect the job in question is really a job intended for graduates of an Associates in Architectural Drafting from either a community college or university. A typical IDP intern position would be paid more but they would expect a bachelor's level degree in architecture for the $15/hr.
Then again, the level of responsibilities for someone with a $15/hr. needs someone with the knowledge and skills of someone having completed 4 years of a B.Arch and been through much of their intermediate level studio courses and subject courses. Although not yet to terminal studio. Some employers may still want completion of the bachelor's degree for such positions because some people don't want to hire people still in college taking classes as that messes with scheduling work. Therefore a logistic nightmare for staffing people to projects.
If you really need the money, I suppose you could take the job but you need to move up in pay level pretty quickly.
Thanks Richard, I don't mean literally slave labour.
$12per hour or roughly 24k a year for a Architect Graduate is way too low. I will feel bad paying someone that kind of money in my office. That is something I would pay a student while in 2nd or 3rd year. Of course to the right person who can do the job.
12$ per hour is laughable. I say take the job but keep looking for something else everyday. The second someone else offers you a real paid position, ditch the scrooge.
Thanks for the advice everyone. Good tips.
If you want to draft get into structural drafting. It pays way more ($18-$25/hr)and you'll use your arch. knowledge. Revit experince is a plus. I did it for several years before arch. school.