$15/hr....that’s what I expected and that’s what I got. I learned a lot, but I also gave/ did a lot- we deserve to be compensated. Though I didn't know a ton, I did a lot of grunt work that employees wouldn't (or shouldn't have to) do.
i think it depends on the experience offered. i completely understand offices that do interesting work not paying their interns anything, as long as they don't abuse them too much.
maybe it depends on where youre at? size of firm/location/etc. i got $12/hr for my first internship while i was in school, and $13/hr the second internship while i was still in school. both firms were kinda small (less than 20 people)... but i got a lot of perks at the second job, free lunch twice a week, boss handed out $50 gas cards pretty regularly, and other things like we would close up the office early on a friday and go see a movie as a firm...
aia has a longstanding policy that members will not employ unpaid interns ... i would start by seeking work only with firms whose principals are members of aia. (i recognize that's no guarantee, but it's a start. i also recognize that there are many non-aia architects who pair fair wages -- so you guys don't pound on me.)
the latest aia compensation survey (2005) shows the national range for student interns (i.e. non-graduates) to be $20,400 to $29,000 per year. the national range for recent graduates was $30,000 to $36,000. divide these numbers by 2,080 (i.e. 52 weeks per year x 40 hours per week) to convert the figures to hourly pay.
with the passage of a couple of years since this data was collected, i would advise increasing the numbers shown by about 10% - 15% to reflect salary escalation in the interim.
there are tremendous regional variations in salaries, and there also are significant variations depending on the size of the firm. so, remember that the numbers shown above are averages across the country and averages for all firms. your location and the firm where you're applying could significantly alter what you might encounter within these ranges.
You really think that "doing interesting work" mitigates an office's responsibility to pay its employees? Do only those who can afford to work for no pay "deserve" to do interesting work? If we're talking about some one asking an architect "can I hang out in your office on a more or less voluntary basis and get coffee or shuffle papers or whatever to see what you guys do for a living just so long as I'm not too much of a pest," maybe that's one thing. But if we're talking about an architect asking someone to sit in a chair for 16 hrs to make drawings or build models for his/her project, even if that project is a competition, I'm sorry you ought to be paid something. It's ok and right to be paid for work even if you happen to find that work rewarding and interesting.
May 18, 07 11:05 am ·
·
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.
Internship???
How much do you think an internship should get paid?
I dont think internships deserve $$$...interns on the other hand...
i'd say nothing-less than...
Gas? Subway Fare? Lunch? Or unlimited requests for letters of recommendation?
My last internship got me the latter, plus a really delicious sushi/sake dinner at Sushi Ran in Sausalito. Mmm.
$15/hr....that’s what I expected and that’s what I got. I learned a lot, but I also gave/ did a lot- we deserve to be compensated. Though I didn't know a ton, I did a lot of grunt work that employees wouldn't (or shouldn't have to) do.
i think it depends on the experience offered. i completely understand offices that do interesting work not paying their interns anything, as long as they don't abuse them too much.
squaressquared i read that as a sushishake and threw up a little.
maybe it depends on where youre at? size of firm/location/etc. i got $12/hr for my first internship while i was in school, and $13/hr the second internship while i was still in school. both firms were kinda small (less than 20 people)... but i got a lot of perks at the second job, free lunch twice a week, boss handed out $50 gas cards pretty regularly, and other things like we would close up the office early on a friday and go see a movie as a firm...
o btw... that was in a medium sized city (not a ny or dc or anything like that) and it was about 4 years ago.
aia has a longstanding policy that members will not employ unpaid interns ... i would start by seeking work only with firms whose principals are members of aia. (i recognize that's no guarantee, but it's a start. i also recognize that there are many non-aia architects who pair fair wages -- so you guys don't pound on me.)
the latest aia compensation survey (2005) shows the national range for student interns (i.e. non-graduates) to be $20,400 to $29,000 per year. the national range for recent graduates was $30,000 to $36,000. divide these numbers by 2,080 (i.e. 52 weeks per year x 40 hours per week) to convert the figures to hourly pay.
with the passage of a couple of years since this data was collected, i would advise increasing the numbers shown by about 10% - 15% to reflect salary escalation in the interim.
there are tremendous regional variations in salaries, and there also are significant variations depending on the size of the firm. so, remember that the numbers shown above are averages across the country and averages for all firms. your location and the firm where you're applying could significantly alter what you might encounter within these ranges.
sorry ... "pay" not "pair"
dithyramben
You really think that "doing interesting work" mitigates an office's responsibility to pay its employees? Do only those who can afford to work for no pay "deserve" to do interesting work? If we're talking about some one asking an architect "can I hang out in your office on a more or less voluntary basis and get coffee or shuffle papers or whatever to see what you guys do for a living just so long as I'm not too much of a pest," maybe that's one thing. But if we're talking about an architect asking someone to sit in a chair for 16 hrs to make drawings or build models for his/her project, even if that project is a competition, I'm sorry you ought to be paid something. It's ok and right to be paid for work even if you happen to find that work rewarding and interesting.
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.