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Architects, Except Landscape and Naval

Typical education: Master's degreeModerate pressure

What they do

Plan and design structures, such as private residences, office buildings, theaters, factories, and other structural property.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Artistic: Creating, designing and expressing ideas through art, writing, music or performance.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $99,280 Median per year · $47.73/hr Most earn $62,300–$161,420

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Meet with clients to review or discuss architectural drawings.
  • Design environmentally sound structural upgrades to existing buildings, such as natural lighting systems, green roofs, or rainwater collection systems.
  • Develop final construction plans that include aesthetic representations of the structure or details for its construction.
  • Gather information related to projects' environmental sustainability or operational efficiency.
  • Plan layouts of structural architectural projects.
  • Direct activities of technicians engaged in preparing drawings or specification documents.

Job outlook

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 6,900 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Self-employed (their own business)14.0%
  • Engineering services8.4%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Some remote workExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Master's degreeExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Architecture is not an entry-level job. Most people spend several years in school and then 2 to 4 years working under licensed architects before they take on the title, so the full path usually takes about 8 to 12 years from starting college. Your local career page shows typical pay near you.

  1. Bachelor's degree in architecture (or a related field)

    4-5 years

    You learn design, building systems, history, and drawing, and you build a portfolio of design projects that you will need later.

  2. Master of Architecture

    2-3 years

    This graduate degree is the usual education for architects. It goes deeper into studio design and can be taken by people who already have a bachelor's degree in another field.

  3. Junior Architect or Architectural Intern

    2-4 years

    You work under licensed architects, drafting plans, creating 3D models, and helping with client meetings. This is where you build the work experience and licensing hours you need before you can take the licensing exam.

  4. Architect

    Ongoing

    After you gain the required experience and pass the licensing exam, you can design buildings, lead projects, and sign off on drawings.

Where it can lead

  1. Project Architect

    3-5 years of experience first

    You manage a building project from design through construction, lead a small team, and handle client and consultant communication. Strong project management skills help you move up.

  2. Architectural and Engineering Managers

    8-10 years of experience first

    You oversee several projects or a whole design group, set budgets and staffing, and plan the firm's direction. Moving into this role usually means building a track record of leading teams over many years.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take geometry, trigonometry, and physicsMath and physics are the basis for understanding structure, loads, and measurements in buildings.
  • Take art, drawing, or drafting classesHand sketching and technical drawing build the visual skills architects use every day.
  • Join a design, robotics, or engineering clubTeamwork on building or design challenges shows how projects come together from an idea to a finished product.
  • Build models or sketch buildings you seeMaking physical models and sketching real buildings helps you think about space, materials, and how structures are put together.
  • Try a summer job or volunteer on a construction or home-improvement crewSeeing how buildings are actually built gives you context that makes your design work stronger.

In college

  • Major in architecture or take the core design and building-systems coursesA professional architecture degree is the usual first step, and courses in design studio, structures, and building systems build the core skills.
  • Learn CAD and 3D modeling softwareBeing comfortable with drafting and modeling tools makes you a stronger candidate for internships and entry-level roles.
  • Join an architecture or design student clubStudent groups host lectures, competitions, and firm visits, which help you learn the field and meet people in it.
  • Get an internship or part-time job at an architecture or construction firmReal office experience shows you how projects run and gives you contacts and references for later.
  • Build your design portfolioA portfolio of your best studio projects, sketches, and models is what employers and graduate programs look at first.

Tips for getting started

  • Start a design portfolio early. Sketches, models, photos of buildings you've studied, and school projects all help when you apply to architecture programs and jobs.
  • Learn drawing and computer design tools (such as CAD or 3D modeling software). Many entry-level architecture jobs expect you to already know them, and many schools offer free or low-cost access.
  • Look for architecture programs that are accredited, and ask about internship placement. Work experience during school makes it much easier to land your first job after graduation.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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