Archinect - News

NCARB releases new 16-point Competency Standard for Architects

2024-10-03T16:08:00-04:00

A new framework for establishing competency-based qualifications as the initial basis for architectural licensure in the United States was released today by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

The new NCARB Competency Standard for Architects outlines 16 key competencies that are imperative at the point of initial licensure in order to ensure the public’s health, safety, and overall welfare.

NCARB says it will make updates to its existing programs over the next two years to align with the new standard, which likewise provides a "flexible foundation" for the development of future licensure programs. This, in turn, is supposed to allow NCARB to build more accessible pathways to licensure without compromises to the ardent professional standards that are needed to protect the public.

The organization's President, Kenneth R. Van Tine, says the new standard will "shape the architecture profession for years to come and ensure that the path to licensure is accessible...

Architecture profession is expanding and becoming more diverse, says NCARB

2024-07-08T17:19:00-04:00

A shift toward a more diverse and prepared architecture profession has been documented in the latest NCARB by the Numbers report from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

The council’s annual survey revealed the total number of licensed practitioners to have grown by 1% to 121,368 in the past year. Another 37,708 are on their way to obtaining licensure. In 2023, there were 3,734 new architects reported to have earned a license, reversing last year’s decline by a total of 6% nationally.

It now takes candidates an average of 13.3 years to earn a license — slightly longer than the average pre-pandemic frame. This comes after NCARB instated several “pragmatic” changes to the ARE exam.

Related Feature on Archinect: Let's Talk About Architectural Licensure

In terms of a demographic sample, the survey found architecture to have shown broad-ranging improvements in a number of key representational categories, indicating a greater overall diversity along race and gender...

Slight decline in number of licensed architects in the United States, says NCARB

2023-06-13T11:56:00-04:00

NCARB has released new data which found that the number of architects licensed in the United States has slightly declined. In 2022, the profession held 119,906 licensed architects while in 2021, the number was 121,600, representing a decline of approximately 1%. Meanwhile, the number of architects with reciprocal (out-of-state) licenses rose by 6%.

The data is derived from NCARB’s annual Survey of Architectural Registration Boards, which provides insights into licensing across the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

"The approximately 1% decline in the number of architects licensed in 2022 is likely caused by continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic," NCARB said about the data. "The increase in reciprocal licensures, however, is a positive sign for the profession, reflecting an increase in demand for professional mobility. Data from the 2023 NCARB by the Numbers, which will be released next month,...

Citing equity concerns, NCARB nixes its rolling clock policy for the ARE 5.0 and above

2023-02-23T19:24:00-05:00

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has just announced a milestone change to the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) process that will affect the ARE 5.0 and any subsequent versions to follow.

The organization says it will now do away with its five-year Rolling Clock Policy governing the length of time it takes to successfully pass each division of the exam and register as a professional architect in the United States. The change will go into place effective May 1st.

The decision was purportedly the result of an analysis that showed disparities of race and gender under the current policy in addition to a marked increase in candidates' competency where that policy was not in place, to begin with.

Previously on Archinect: Tell us your experience: Challenges on the path to architectural licensure

“This research-backed decision to eliminate the rolling clock policy was unanimously supported by the Board of Directors and the new score validity policy ...

Almost one-third of architecture employees have faced or witnessed discrimination, says NCARB/NOMA survey

2022-10-18T10:59:00-04:00

An NCARB/NOMA investigation has found that people of color, especially African Americans, are more likely to report issues with their architecture firm’s culture. The Firm Culture & Career Development Report is the latest analysis articulating the results of the joint NCARB/NOMA Baseline on Belonging survey investigating biases and impediments in the profession. The survey received over 5000 complete responses following its release in early 2020.

Archinect Feature: Architecture Gave Me a Black Eye: A Note to Architectural Educators

The latest report, which focused almost exclusively on candidates currently on the path to licensure, found that 24% of African American respondents had considered leaving the profession due to their firm’s culture, 14% more than their white peers. Compared to white respondents, African American respondents were also 12% less likely to say they felt as though they belonged at their firm, and 10% less likely to feel valued.

In particular, African American w...

Tell us your experience: Challenges on the path to architectural licensure

2022-08-11T09:20:00-04:00

In June 2020, we conducted an interview with Princeton University School of Architecture Dean Mónica Ponce de León on the future of architectural licensure. Ponce de León’s perspective, which generated 90 comments from our readers, centered on disparities in licensure success along racial and gender groups.

“We need to be honest,” Ponce de León told us. “The profession is predominantly white and male. Only 2% of all architects are Black American. In 2008, that number was 1.5%. Let’s do the math, at that rate, it will take 240 years for the profession to look like the rest of America. I, for one, cannot wait that long.”

Media interest in the path to architectural licensure peaked once again last week with the news of two architecture graduates from Auburn University in Alabama who had become licensed architects at the age of 23. For perspective, NCARB data shows that the average age of those beginnin...

Meet the first class of ASLA's new Women of Color Licensure Advancement Program

2022-06-06T12:38:00-04:00

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has announced its first class of Women of Color Licensure Advancement Program participants.

Ten women from across the country were selected to take part in the two-year program, which was created to provide support and mentorship opportunities to BIPOC women working towards their professional landscape architecture licensures. The aim of the program is to increase racial and gender diversity within the profession as taken from ASLA’s 2020 Racial Equity Plan of Action.

Launched in February, the program crucially provides up to $3,500 to cover costs related to the Landscape Architectural Registration Exam (LARE) for each participant in addition to the mentorship opportunities and preparatory coursework for each section.

“We are proud to take this first step to lift up women of color in our landscape architecture community, by providing them with the support network they need to achieve licensure,” ASLA President Eugenia Martin said i...

African American women significantly less supported in architecture schools, says NCARB and NOMA report

2022-04-19T12:55:00-04:00

A new report by NCARB and NOMA has found that women, particularly Black or African American women, face heavier challenges in architectural education than their male counterparts. As a result, more than half of Black or African American women surveyed state that they have considered a different career path.

The report is the latest output of the “Baseline on Belonging” study conducted by NCARB and NOMA, which seeks to identify areas where underrepresented groups are disproportionately impacted throughout their early architectural career, including education and licensing. Previous reports within the study have focused on the Architectural Experience Program (AXP) and the Architect Registration Examination (ARE), which found that white and male candidates were more likely to pass the ARE.

Excerpt from the Baseline on Belonging: Education Report by NOMA and NCARB

The latest report, whose findings are derived from 5,300 survey respondents, found that women feel less supported by pro...

ARE scholarships for aspiring Black architects launched by the Architects Foundation

2021-11-15T13:53:00-05:00

The Architects Foundation has announced the launch of the Large Firm Roundtable (LFRT) ARE Scholarship, providing support for aspiring Black architects within the licensing process. Through the scholarship, the organization is aiming to double the number of licensed Black architects in the United States by 2030.

The scholarship will cover the cost of the ARE, a one-year subscription to the AIA’s exam prep course ArchiPrep, one year of dues to either the AIA or NOMA, one year NCARB record fees, and $500 in study materials. To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must identify as Black or African American, be eligible for the ARE, hold an NCARB Record, and be either an Associate AIA or a member of NOMA.

Findings from NOMA/NCARB report on disparities in architectural licensing

To apply for the more than 30 awards available under LFRT, applicants must submit a brief 500-word personal statement, a professional biography and/or résumé, and a maximum of three optional letters of ...

NOMA/NCARB report exposes exam disparities for people of color and older candidates

2021-09-13T13:28:00-04:00

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) and National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) have released a report focused on disparities in architectural licensing examination. Titled Baseline on Belonging: Examination Report, the study seeks to explore factors that impact equity, diversity, and inclusion for candidates taking the Architect Registration Examination (ARE).

Infographic via NOMA/NCARB

The 100-page report is centered on survey data from the experiences of people preparing for or taking the ARE, including obstacles in the areas of financial support, mentoring, and overall cost. More than 5,000 people submitted responses to the survey, including over 2,800 people of color and almost 2,500 women. The report also features an analysis of a multi-year collection of NCARB data, which as we previously reported, indicates that people of color have significantly lower pass rates in the ARE than their white peers.

Infographic via NOMA/NCARB

Among th...

The latest NCARB report shows how architectural education changed in 2020

2021-08-16T14:04:00-04:00

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has published new data giving insights into the growth of architectural education throughout the 2019/2020 academic year. As part of their tenth annual NCARB by the Numbers report, NCARB examined the number of individuals beginning, continuing, and graduating from architectural education throughout the academic year as well as information on demographics.

Overall, the number of new and total enrollments in NAAB-accredited programs continued to rise for the 2019/2020 academic year, as did the number of graduates. 7,968 new students enrolled in an NAAB program in the 2019/2020 cycle, representing a 3% increase on the previous year, and a third consecutive year of steady growth. Of those, 51% enrolled in a Bachelor of Architecture, 48% enrolled in a Master of Architecture, and less than 1% enrolled in a Doctor of Architecture. Just over half of new students (51%) were women.

Related on Archinect: Total number of U.S. ...

Total number of U.S. architects is still growing despite COVID-19 disruption

2021-08-11T12:27:00-04:00

The total number of registered architects in the United States has continued to grow over the past year, despite the pressures of COVID-19 disruption on both the professional industry and licensing pathways.

New data from the National Council of Architectural Registrations Board (NCARB) has found that the number of licensed architects in the United States grew to 121,997 by the end of 2020, representing a 5% increase on 2019. The continued increase in U.S. architects last year is notable, given that the number of newly licensed architects during 2020 was 40% lower than the rolling three-year average.

Recently on Archinect: COVID led to 40% drop in new architects last year, says NCARB report

Despite the shutdown of construction sites and transition to remote working, there remained a strong increase in both initial (in-state) licenses and reciprocal (out-of-state) licenses. There were 140,342 reciprocal licenses reported in 2020, a 2% increase on the 2019 figure. The number of rec...

White and male candidates more likely to pass the ARE, says NCARB study

2021-07-22T12:23:00-04:00

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has, for the first time, published data on Architect Registration Examination (ARE) pass rates that are broken down by demographics. The statistics show that white candidates are more likely to pass the ARE than candidates of color, that men are more likely to pass than women, and that younger candidates have higher pass rates than older candidates. The findings will also be included in an upcoming joint report between NCARB and the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA).

The ARE, which is developed and administered by NCARB, is a key step on the path to professional licensing and is required by all state licensing boards in the United States. To generate the latest statistics, NCARB analyzed the pass rates from more than 32,700 ARE exam participants, studying information on race, ethnicity, gender, and age. NCARB says that releasing the findings is an effort to “help inform essential discussions about eq...

COVID led to 40% drop in new architects last year, says NCARB report

2021-06-16T12:14:00-04:00

There was a 40% decrease in the number of newly licensed architects during 2020 relative to the previous three-year average, according to a report published today by the National Council of Architectural Registrations Board (NCARB). The statistic is one of many findings contained within the special report, which examined the impact of COVID-19 on architectural licensing and mobility across the United States between January and December of 2020.

According to the report, a combination of license test center closures, a transition to remote work, and a fluctuating, unpredictable demand for architectural services all impacted the career progress of licensure candidates in 2020. For instance, the delivery of Architect Registration Examinations (AREs) dropped by 44% last year, largely due to the closure of test centers between March and June.

Decline in new architects during 2020. Read the full NCARB report here.

The number of newly licensed architects dropped by 40% versus the previou...

Princeton's Monica Ponce de Leon: To overcome injustice in architecture, licensure should be "eliminated or radically transformed"

2020-06-11T17:28:00-04:00

Princeton University School of Architecture Dean Monica Ponce de Leon has issued a statement on behalf of the school offering solidarity with the growing protest movement seeking social and economic justice for Black people in America.

In a letter sent out to the Princeton SoA community, Ponce de Leon explains that "it is essential for us to acknowledge that the discipline of architecture and its institutions have always been complicit in social, economic, health, and environmental discrimination."

Previously on Archinect: "AIA, NOMA, and other organizations issue statements of solidarity with Black community." Courtesy of Wikimedia User Rosa Pineda.

She adds, "Without this acknowledgement, we will be powerless to impact the grotesque structural injustice that Black Americans and other groups have been subjected to for far too long."

Going further, Dean Ponce de Leon points to architecture's lengthy, complicated, and expensive educational and training system—and particularly, archi...

NCARB testing set to resume June 9th in many states

2020-06-05T18:55:00-04:00

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), as of June 1, has begun re-opening testing sites for architectural licensure examinations. Starting on Tuesday, June 9th, 2020, prospective exam takers will be able to schedule an appointment at any open test center offering “All Programs” or “Essential Only” services, which include the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®) .

Prometric, the company that actually administers the tests, has, according to a recent NCARB announcement, "been able to resume testing at locations where local and state mandates allow" as states across the country begin to reopen following the two-month-long COVID-19-related closures.

You can view Prometric’s current site openings on the company's website; This list is set to be updated daily with new re-opening information. The shift comes as NCARB and Prometric lobby to change the designation of ARE exam takers from "non-essential" to "essential" in the wake of the pandemic.

NCARB wr...

NCARB delays licensing exams through end of May

2020-04-27T11:44:00-04:00

Prometric, the test administration company responsible for hosting NCARB's Architect Registration Examination (ARE), has decided to keep all test centers in North America closed until May 31, 2020. According to NCARB, when the test centers do reopen they will operate at 50 percent capacity to maintain social distancing for test takers. Additionally, if a test center becomes booked beyond the 50 percent capacity limit, Prometric will randomly select candidates to reschedule.

Due to the closures and test cancellations, NCARB has offered rescheduling at no-cost and has added an additional six months to test taker's rolling clocks. The organization will be hosting a live Webinar this Thursday, April 30th, to answer questions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the ARE.

Man convicted for falsely claiming to be an architect

2019-08-14T18:00:00-04:00

Paul Lyon, director of Warwickshire, Coventry and London-based company Lyson Architecture, was fined for referring to himself as a ‘Residential Architect’ on his website. He was also fined for using the Twitter handle @LysonArchitect ’despite having no architects at the pracitce’.

AIA and NCARB join other professional organizations to push professional licensing

2019-08-13T12:00:00-04:00

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) are among several organizations who have helped found the Alliance for Responsible Professional Licensing (ARPL)—a new coalition of technical professions focused on educating policymakers and the public about the importance of rigorous professional licensing standards.

In a press release announcing the creation of ARPL, NCARB CEO Michael J. Armstrong said, “Complex professions are at risk of being swept up in broad calls to reduce licensing requirements for occupations and vocations. It is important for us to work with other technical professions to ensure public safety isn’t compromised by broad brush deregulatory efforts.”

AIA CEO Robert Ivy echoed the sentiment, adding, “The best way to maintain the public’s confidence is to continue to require that architects demonstrate rigorous and ongoing education, examination, and experience. Attempts to weaken or undermine professional licensing requirements for architects not only harm our profession, but could potentially endanger public health, safety, and welfare."

ARPL members include the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB), the National Association of State Boar...

Grenfell Tower inquiry: expert architectural witness fired because he was not a registered architect

2018-06-25T13:28:00-04:00

The public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower disaster has sacked its expert architectural witness after it emerged he was not a registered architect. John Priestley, who was appointed on Wednesday to produce a report into the architectural design of the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower, was sacked on Friday. [...] According to the inquiry, before he was instructed, Priestley told officials he was a UK registered and chartered architect.

NCARB reports 3% increase in number of U.S. architects

2018-06-12T14:54:00-04:00

Every year, NCARB requests the number of architects and reciprocal licenses from each of its jurisdictions—which include all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The 2017 Survey of Architectural Registration Boards indicates architects in the United States rose to 113,554, a 3 percent increase since 2016. Compared to the population, there is one architect for every 2,900 people in the United States.

The NCARB has also tracked the increase in US architects by 10% since 2008 and reports the second highest number of out-of-state licenses recorded at 125,348—revealing mobility in the profession across state borders.

NCARB CEO Michael J. Armstrong stated, “This year’s data not only shows that licensure remains valued within the architecture field, it also demonstrates that NCARB’s efforts to streamline the path to licensure and remove unnecessary barriers has been effective. We’ve achieved this while maintaining rigor and ensuring each board’s ability to protect the public.”

Find out more from NCARB’s data and the 2017 Survey of Architectural Registration Boards.

NCARB reports architects take 12.5 years on average to get their licenses, down from 14 years in 2013

2017-06-27T13:37:00-04:00

In 2013, it took an architect an average of 14 years to complete the initial education, myriad examinations and extra curricular activities neccessary to acheive licensure. In 2016, that figure dropped by 1.5 years thanks in part to an accelerated testing schedule. As a press release notes, "NCARB's work with licensing boards over the past decade have focused on streamlining, updating, and aligning two key pillars on the path to licensure—the Architectural Experience Program™ (AXP™) and the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®)—leading to a reduction in completion times. Plus, candidates for architecture licenses are increasingly overlapping these two programs."

Five reasons why you should get your architecture license

2017-05-01T09:00:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by Simply Architect.

Are you one of those intern architects putting off getting your architecture license? Here's why you should seriously consider forging ahead and getting that well deserved designation!

1. Claim the title!

You have spent over 5 years pursuing your education coupled with lots of seminar and CE hours. Why wouldn't you crown it with this achievement? Being a licensed architect means you are a professional designer who is liable to the public with rendered architectural services. Hence the title can't be earned without a license.

2. Earn more money!

Yes, various sources ( AIA, Glassdoor, etc.) show that architectural graduates with their licenses are paid an average of 15-20% more per year when compared to interns with the same amount of experience.

3. Advance your career!

There are only a few positions that you can hold (i.e. designer) or buildings that you can design (i.e. buildings under 3 stories or 600 m2, etc.) when you are not licensed...