I should have stuck with optometry and do architecture as a hobby; then again, I cringe the thought of being stuck in a room with a refracting instrument.
Any professional makes more money than architects. Even within the building and design industry, architects are the lowest lowest lowest paying job. Architects tend to give the fault to the type of profession we are into as it is one that designs instead of making money as their main priority. However, all other designers within the building industry like urban planners, landscape architects, interior designers and all other designers outside of architecture like, web designers, fashion designers, industrial designers, car designers etc. make more money than architects. These designers also have making money as their main priority, still they make money. The big difference is that architects are masochist, they like to starve themselves.
Whether you are a real estate agent, a car saleman or a laywer, you as a professional have the freedom of chosing your fee. So it is a no brainer to have a fee that at least supports yourself and your family. Even a street prostitute makes sures that even on a slow night she can earn enough to eat, pay rent etc. Architects on the other hand......well you know the story.....
That "top 50" list is of average salaries in that career - not average starting salaries. Average salaries in architecture actually compare favorably with many of the professions on the list.
In looking at that list what I notice is that I out-earned the average salaries in 10 of those fields last year - but I haven't reached my "average" earning potential yet because I haven't been in the field enough years yet to have reached the mid-point of my architecture career. So I don't feel that I'm doing all that badly.
My salary is pretty much average for my level in architecture according to various sources (AIA surveys, Dept of Labor statistics, etc.)
I understand that the "top 50" list is as much concerned with projected job growth as with salaries. Architecture as a profession is not growing. On the other hand the number of people in architecture schools is shrinking so fast that the AIA projects a shortage of architects over the next 10 years.
"Architecture as a profession is not growing. On the other hand the number of people in architecture schools is shrinking so fast that the AIA projects a shortage of architects over the next 10 years."
I believe this statement either is a misstatement or a misunderstanding of reality ... at the moment there is a national shortage of architects because there has been a very rapid expansion of available project work over the past 24 months ... 3 years ago, there was a significant over-supply of architects nationwide due to the economic contraction post 9/11 ... I'm pretty sure there will be another fluctuation in the economic cycle over the next few years that will, once again, produce condition where there are fewer architectural jobs than there are architects looking for work.
While there are a number of variables that affect the volume of architectural work in any given year, over time the amount of new construction is tied very closely to population growth ... my view is that our profession is, in fact, growing and that there will be significant career opportunity for quality professionals, subject to short term fluctuations arising from the inevitable economic cycles.
I also believe the colleges of architecture are pumping out more graduates than ever before ... perhaps others in this forum who work in academia can provide facts to support, or refute, that view.
Quizzical I'm only a part-time academic at present so I don't know if I count - but I'm under the impression that the number of architecture school grads is dropping somewhat. I think I saw a figure of roughly 10% lower than 15 years ago. The number of programs has grown slightly - there are more M.Arch programs now but fewer B.Arch programs than 15 years ago - however some programs have more limited enrollment than in the past. The more important factor seems to be that undergrad architecture programs in particular have very high drop-out rates (which includes people switching to other majors - not just people leaving school.) In some cases less than half of the students starting in any given year actually finish.
Another related issue is that only about half of those people graduating actually every complete IDP and start the registration process (NCARB recently stated that about 5000 people graduate every year but only about 2500 start the ARE every year.) Some of the other 2500 people stay in the field but just never pursue registration - but it's thought that at least half of them leave the field within 5 years of graduation.
There was a documented shortage of architects in the late 1990s - usually attributed to people leaving the profession en masse in the late 80s/early 90s slump. The post 9/11 situation varied widely among regions and project types - there was actually a housing boom immediately after 9/11 that created jobs particularly in the northeast, while other markets were contracting...
In Chicago some firms are hiring while others are downsizing. However, many of the large firms in town have so much work they don't know what to do, and this is largely due to a major boom in tower construction going on in the city. It appears as if there are more than 100 towers either proposed or under construction right now in Chicago--I've never seen anything like it! Our skyline will be completely redefined in the next five years if the boom holds up and the proposed projects gets completed.
: you just defined the classic "overbuilding" scenario ... too much space for the demand / too much construction to keep construction costs affordable ... these conditions lead to the other side of the building cycle - i.e. layoffs ... no way all of those towers will get built
you guys in Chicago ... start saving as much salary as you can
what is the highest salary for young architect in Gensler Chicago?
Anyone possibily know the highest salary paid for young licensed design architect in Gensler Chicago?
I suspect the only person who knows this answer is the payroll clerk
one million dollars
Guys, do you feel this is a group of losers?
top 50
Seriously, how come landscape architect and urban planner have better paid?
writer too! when did that ever happen? is this report accurate?
I should have stuck with optometry and do architecture as a hobby; then again, I cringe the thought of being stuck in a room with a refracting instrument.
Any professional makes more money than architects. Even within the building and design industry, architects are the lowest lowest lowest paying job. Architects tend to give the fault to the type of profession we are into as it is one that designs instead of making money as their main priority. However, all other designers within the building industry like urban planners, landscape architects, interior designers and all other designers outside of architecture like, web designers, fashion designers, industrial designers, car designers etc. make more money than architects. These designers also have making money as their main priority, still they make money. The big difference is that architects are masochist, they like to starve themselves.
oh crap ... things just keep getting worse ...
I still dont understand why architects are considered so worthless !!
Whether you are a real estate agent, a car saleman or a laywer, you as a professional have the freedom of chosing your fee. So it is a no brainer to have a fee that at least supports yourself and your family. Even a street prostitute makes sures that even on a slow night she can earn enough to eat, pay rent etc. Architects on the other hand......well you know the story.....
That "top 50" list is of average salaries in that career - not average starting salaries. Average salaries in architecture actually compare favorably with many of the professions on the list.
In looking at that list what I notice is that I out-earned the average salaries in 10 of those fields last year - but I haven't reached my "average" earning potential yet because I haven't been in the field enough years yet to have reached the mid-point of my architecture career. So I don't feel that I'm doing all that badly.
My salary is pretty much average for my level in architecture according to various sources (AIA surveys, Dept of Labor statistics, etc.)
I understand that the "top 50" list is as much concerned with projected job growth as with salaries. Architecture as a profession is not growing. On the other hand the number of people in architecture schools is shrinking so fast that the AIA projects a shortage of architects over the next 10 years.
I believe this statement either is a misstatement or a misunderstanding of reality ... at the moment there is a national shortage of architects because there has been a very rapid expansion of available project work over the past 24 months ... 3 years ago, there was a significant over-supply of architects nationwide due to the economic contraction post 9/11 ... I'm pretty sure there will be another fluctuation in the economic cycle over the next few years that will, once again, produce condition where there are fewer architectural jobs than there are architects looking for work.
While there are a number of variables that affect the volume of architectural work in any given year, over time the amount of new construction is tied very closely to population growth ... my view is that our profession is, in fact, growing and that there will be significant career opportunity for quality professionals, subject to short term fluctuations arising from the inevitable economic cycles.
I also believe the colleges of architecture are pumping out more graduates than ever before ... perhaps others in this forum who work in academia can provide facts to support, or refute, that view.
Quizzical I'm only a part-time academic at present so I don't know if I count - but I'm under the impression that the number of architecture school grads is dropping somewhat. I think I saw a figure of roughly 10% lower than 15 years ago. The number of programs has grown slightly - there are more M.Arch programs now but fewer B.Arch programs than 15 years ago - however some programs have more limited enrollment than in the past. The more important factor seems to be that undergrad architecture programs in particular have very high drop-out rates (which includes people switching to other majors - not just people leaving school.) In some cases less than half of the students starting in any given year actually finish.
Another related issue is that only about half of those people graduating actually every complete IDP and start the registration process (NCARB recently stated that about 5000 people graduate every year but only about 2500 start the ARE every year.) Some of the other 2500 people stay in the field but just never pursue registration - but it's thought that at least half of them leave the field within 5 years of graduation.
There was a documented shortage of architects in the late 1990s - usually attributed to people leaving the profession en masse in the late 80s/early 90s slump. The post 9/11 situation varied widely among regions and project types - there was actually a housing boom immediately after 9/11 that created jobs particularly in the northeast, while other markets were contracting...
In Chicago some firms are hiring while others are downsizing. However, many of the large firms in town have so much work they don't know what to do, and this is largely due to a major boom in tower construction going on in the city. It appears as if there are more than 100 towers either proposed or under construction right now in Chicago--I've never seen anything like it! Our skyline will be completely redefined in the next five years if the boom holds up and the proposed projects gets completed.
: you just defined the classic "overbuilding" scenario ... too much space for the demand / too much construction to keep construction costs affordable ... these conditions lead to the other side of the building cycle - i.e. layoffs ... no way all of those towers will get built
you guys in Chicago ... start saving as much salary as you can
That's chicago: Which firm you know are hiring? Gensler, SOM?
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