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
- Doing it now
- 124,600
- By 2035
- Up 4.3%
- Usually needs
- Bachelor's degree
a year
across the country
6,900 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Prepare information regarding design, structure specifications, materials, color, equipment, estimated costs, or construction time.
- Consult with clients to determine functional or spatial requirements of structures.
- Prepare contract documents for building contractors.
- Integrate engineering elements into unified architectural designs.
- Administer construction contracts.
- Represent clients in obtaining bids or awarding construction contracts.
- Design or plan construction of green building projects to minimize adverse environmental impact or conserve energy.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- ArchitectureSee 130 colleges that teach it
- Environmental DesignSee 38 colleges that teach it
- Architectural History, Criticism, and ConservationSee 21 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Hands-on and practical
Organised and precise
Creative and expressive
Careers like this one
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $99,280 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.