What is an architect and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Christy Graves
introduction image

An architect designs and plans buildings, structures, and landscapes. They work on projects ranging from residential homes to commercial buildings. Architects are responsible for creating functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces that meet the needs of clients while adhering to safety regulations and building codes. They collaborate with other professionals, such as engineers and contractors, to ensure that their designs are feasible. They also oversee the construction process to ensure that the project is completed according to their specifications.

What general advice would you give to an Architect?

C

Christy Graves

Professor/Program Manager, Seminole State College of Florida

I would advise the graduate to learn from everyone they work with within the workplace environment. Even though a degree in architectural engineering technology is valuable, it’s impossible to learn everything you need to know to be successful in the industry by taking classes in school and earning a degree. Do not be afraid to ask others for help when you aren’t sure about the task you’ve been assigned to do. In addition, keep up with new technology. Remember, learning should be a lifetime pursuit. It shouldn’t end with earning a degree.
ScoreArchitectUS Average
Salary
6.8

Avg. Salary $86,635

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
7.2

Growth Rate 3%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 16.01%

Black or African American 2.29%

Hispanic or Latino 11.82%

Unknown 3.95%

White 65.61%

Gender

female 23.29%

male 76.71%

Age - 45
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45
Stress Level
7.2

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
3.5

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an Architect?

Pros

  • Opportunity to work on a variety of projects

  • Collaboration with other professionals in the industry

  • Possibility of self-employment or starting a firm

  • Opportunities for international work or travel

  • Exposure to new technologies and materials

Cons

  • High levels of competition in the industry

  • Significant time commitment required for education and licensure

  • Potential for conflicts with clients, contractors, or other stakeholders

  • Significant financial investment required for education, licensure, and equipment/software

  • Physical strain from sitting or standing for extended periods.

Architect career paths

Key steps to become an architect

  1. Explore architect education requirements

    Most common architect degrees

    Bachelor's

    67.2 %

    Master's

    21.2 %

    Associate

    6.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific architect skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Cloud10.18%
    Java7.70%
    Infrastructure7.18%
    Azure5.34%
    AWS5.09%
  3. Complete relevant architect training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 2-4 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New architects learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an architect based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real architect resumes.
  4. Research architect duties and responsibilities

    • Manage Daimler resources for development of RFC programs
    • Manage overall testing activities withing the group including functinal, system and regression testing.
    • Manage the company website using HTML and CSS to produce an easily read website that customers can access more intuitively.
    • Manage GitLab and Jenkins deployment environment to support automate AWS- development software builds.
  5. Prepare your architect resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your architect resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an architect resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Architect Resume templates

    Build a professional Architect resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Architect resume.
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  6. Apply for architect jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an architect job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Architect Job

Zippi

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Average architect salary

The average Architect salary in the United States is $86,635 per year or $42 per hour. Architect salaries range between $54,000 and $137,000 per year.

Average Architect Salary
$86,635 Yearly
$41.65 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do architects rate their job?

3/5

Out of 1 Architect reviews, 0% were positive.

5 Stars

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1 Star

Based On 1 Ratings

Pay / Salary
1.0
Overall Rating
3.0
Work/Life Balance
2.0
Career Growth
3.0

Architect reviews

profile
3.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2023
Pros

Management your art to come thru in building form

Cons

Require tertiary title to advance


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019
Pros

Good pay, good communication with other people

Cons

Less technical, but with some traveling sometimes


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019
Pros

long term analysis

Cons

redesigning due to lack of understanding the requirements


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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