Engineering and architecture
Architects, except landscape and naval
Plan and design structures, such as private residences, office buildings, theaters, factories, and other structural property.
Median pay
$99,280
Growth to 2035
+4%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
6,900
Time to qualify*
2 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Architects, except landscape and naval
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- Prior experience
- None
Calculate your switch to architects, except landscape and naval
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Architects, except landscape and naval: 57% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Prepare scale drawings or architectural designs, using computer-aided design or other tools.
- Plan or design structures such as residences, office buildings, theatres, factories, or other structural properties in accordance with environmental, safety, or other regulations.
- Meet with clients to review or discuss architectural drawings.
- Prepare contract documents for building contractors.
- Develop final construction plans that include aesthetic representations of the structure or details for its construction.
- Conduct periodic on-site observations of construction work to monitor compliance with plans.
- Consult with clients to determine functional or spatial requirements of structures.
- Integrate engineering elements into unified architectural designs.
Also called: Architect · Architectural Designer · Design Architect · Planner · Project Architect · Specifications Writer
Outlook and AI
Architects, except landscape and naval held 124,600 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 129,900 by 2035 (+4%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
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