The Financial Prospects of an Architecture Career

One of the most rewarding occupations in the world are architecture careers. Architects can enjoy long careers that withstand recessions and economic uncertainty.

What Architects Earn

Architects in the United States that are just starting out in their careers can expect to earn a starting salary between $35,000 and $40,000 per year. After working as an architect for five to ten years many architects are able to earn between $76,750 to $119,220 per year with an average hourly rate of $36.90.

Many architects have found that the real money in architecture comes from starting their own firms and working for themselves.

Recent studies have shown that seven out of ten jobs in the United States were in architecture and engineering so there is plenty of opportunity for any person who is considering becoming an architect to start a great career.

As with any career it’s important to not just work in that profession because you want to make money, you should become an architect because it’s something that you love and are passionate about because that passion will keep you motivated to continue working even during hard times.

How to get Started as an Architect

Becoming an architect requires attending architecture schools. Before choosing just any college make sure that it’s an accredited university by the National Architecture Accrediting Board because some state licensing boards will only give you partial credit if you enrolled in a non-accredited school.

Many people who want to become architects typically enroll in a five year Bachelor of Architecture program first then follow that degree with a two year Master of Architecture degree.

Before graduating from college it’s important to gain a job as an intern at an architecture firm so you can gain real life experience and also a solid reference for your resume.