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If your M.arch won't yield a great salary, can your undergraduate degree help?

archKash

So for example, I am majoring in marketing with hopes to get into, say, GSD or GSAPP one day. Marketing salaries alone are pretty decent but wouldn't a company pay more for a marketing major with a GSD background in design? Does going to GSD mean being lock in with architecture. I am only asking because the architecture salaries are scary - as you all may know. Usually MBA grads receive 6-figure starting salaries. Side question... Can you may a lot if you start your own firm? Thanks for your guidance!

 
Apr 13, 16 11:32 am
curtkram

i think your concerns are with the profession, not the education.  if you want to make a marketing salary, go into marketing.  if you want to make an architect's salary, go in to architecture.  (if salary is the driving force.  there are other considerations of course)

if you have a degree in both marketing and architecture, i suppose you could choose between those 2 career choices.  as a synergy, you could be the marketing person for an architecture firm, in which case you would be in marketing rather than architecture.  i don't think there is much need for architects in the field of marketing, but i don't know much about that.

Apr 13, 16 11:40 am  · 
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no_form
People have repeatedly stated on here that they make $100,000+ with only 2-6 years experience as wage earner. And stated that so can you if you're talented. Ivy degree not a requirement. Personally I think they're bullshitting us.
Apr 13, 16 11:54 am  · 
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archKash

It seems like less than 2% of the profession are making over $100,000. 

Apr 13, 16 12:07 pm  · 
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DeTwan

In all honesty a design degree from GSD coupled with a MBA probably wont net you more earnings unless your experience and background can bring more money in for your employer.

It is really hard to start an architecture firm, especially in this economy. You need years of practice and built work to convince potential clients that you're the go to person, also many long practicing architects barely make 10% off their contracts, and are very competitive with low rates, hence why architects make so little.

Real Estate agents make 6% off most contracts just to give you an idea of how little architects make.

So no one wanted to hire you with a GSD design degree? You could probably give a lot of insight to all these young whippersnappers that think they are god bc they got into some Ivy League school posting on the boards. Most refuse to believe that the architecture field is a mine field, and they believe they are next to replace Hadid as worlds best starchitect.

Apr 13, 16 12:13 pm  · 
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DeTwan

Think of what trouble architecture colleges would be in if wasnt for the naivness of upper middle class children wanting to be a magnanimous architect some day... thank you Hollywood and Ayn Rand!

Apr 13, 16 12:20 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

The name on your degree does not increase salary.  Billable skills and experience does.

Apr 13, 16 12:24 pm  · 
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Wilma Buttfit

There are marketing firms that provide space planning, design and project management services under the heading of full service branding. It could be very similar to being an architect I would think, just for a limited range of commercial type projects that are driven by brand. I see the combo of marketing and architecture as being pretty powerful. Run your own multi-disciplinary design firm and have an architect on staff?

Apr 13, 16 12:31 pm  · 
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shellarchitect

the nice thing about marketing is that it's super easy, will help your gpa for grad applications - not sure that marketing + arch. is really a killer combo unless you want to start your own firm.  a business, finance, or real estate degree would prob be better.  

Do you really want an masters of arch degree or would a fine art/ graphic design degree fit your interests better?

yes, firm owners generally make pretty good money, but there is a huge range from 1 man shops, where the money might vary wildly year to year, to larger firms with steady workloads and pretty big salaries

Apr 13, 16 12:52 pm  · 
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JLC-1

architecture salaries are scary

Yes, run away, or they'll get you and your marketing major.

Apr 13, 16 3:13 pm  · 
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archeyarch

go with marketing.  the architecture degree is worthless

Apr 15, 16 10:45 pm  · 
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gdub

Question 1: Does Marketing degree + GSD M.Arch = More $$$

Answer: No. When you graduate, they will care about where you graduated from and then next to that, how quickly you can pick up how to create good drawings and how good at design you actually are. Your marketing degree may only help you get a better job because you may be more innovative then others and can market yourself. If you land in a firm, prove your worth and come up with brilliant ways to market the firm, then maybe you can negotiate a pay raise. Architect Principals are pretty brutal, they only care about what you can do for them here and now.

Question 2: Can you make a lot if you start your own firm?

Answer: Yes, you can, but that takes a long time to build up that experience and go off on your own Unless you want to start off by building homes, in which case, you could probably start a firm quickly. Think about it, why would I hire you to build a community hall or condo project if you don't have any experience designing them? Even if you start off cheaper than anyone else, that doesn't account for all of the errors you could cause on a project.

Apr 16, 16 5:28 pm  · 
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