Β #Architecture #Salary #Career #Passion #Prospects
Hey there! π Have any of my fellow Architecture enthusiasts had concerns about the salary prospects in the profession? As a 25-year-old finishing up my masters, the idea of potentially earning 60-70k after investing so much time and effort is a bit daunting. π
I’ve chatted with some Architects in the field, and it seems like even after 15 years, the salary ceiling isn’t as high as one might hope. So, the question arises – is it worth pursuing a passion if it means sacrificing financial stability? π€
Here are a few potential solutions that may help navigate this dilemma:
– Consider diversifying your skills and branching into related fields like interior design, project management, or urban planning to increase earning potential. π
– Explore freelance opportunities or starting your own architecture firm to have more control over your income. πΌ
– Keep networking and seeking out mentorship to uncover new opportunities and pathways to financial success. π€
Let’s chat and brainstorm together – what are your thoughts on balancing passion and paycheck in the Architecture profession? Let’s support each other on this journey! π¬β¨
I finished my masters at 30 after starting uni late and could not afford to work in the field. I’ve ended up in construction estimating which pays a lot better and lets me use a bunch of the skills I picked up at uni.
Architects are also a weird bunch, some thinking they are artists first, some with no practical understanding of how things are built in the real world and others down to earth and knowledgeable.
At 25 with some industry experience already under your belt you still have plenty of time to find what suits you best. If it is purely salary you are chasing, Architecture is unlikely the path for you.
Very similar to being an artist. Only a few are well known and make decent money. The rest might design beautiful works but remain poor and in obscurity. Itβs not a well paid industry for multiple reasons except for a select few people. Ultimately the friends Iβve had in the industry bounce to something related like industrial engineering and planning.
I know a lot of architects for some reason. Most salaries are in the 60-80k range and a lot of them complain about the hours they work and the people they work for. The places that pay more tend to be the ones with the most boring work.Β
They also have you over a barrel a bit when you’re new, because to get a higher salary you need to get registered, and you need them to cooperate to get that done.
It’s not an industry I would choose. A friend of mine recently moved from Melbourne to far north QLD to earn $75k…which was a massive pay bump from the $59k they were on before. They always said that the state government pays over 100k, but for really dull soulless work. I work in a corporate job and earned nearly double their salary for nearly half the effort.
Long story short, it’s an industry with an oversupply of grads and an undersupply of money, so you’ll almost certainly never be rich as an architect. Try toΒ find somewhere with a good workplace culture, doing work you like (or at least tolerate), with salary you won’t starve on.
I always heard that the Architecture profession was diluted to almost nothing, with very little bespoke work being done.
There must be some real pros on good money though, like who is designing skyscrapers? Not some battler on 100k AUD I hope π
I think a lot of careers donβt have good βfinancial prospectsβ. Or, basic things (sigh, a roof over my head, food) have gotten ridiculously overpriced.Β
I personally still feel 60-70k is a reasonable wage. People are supposed to be able to live on it and be able to save, but it looks bleak at the moment.Β
I did a civil engineering degree so I had two paths to choose from. First one is to become a design engineer working in an office, earning 65k out of uni with minimal salary growth over the years. Second option is to get into project management and become a site engineer, which pays 90k straight out of uni and great salary growth over time. I obviously chose the second option and I love it, I graduated 2 years ago and Iβm already on 125k. You might be able to get into one of these roles with your degree as it really is just project management which you would have experience with working as an architect.
Arts degrees don’t usually have high pays unfortunately
Unfortunately it is similar with couple of my friends who take Architecture as degree and career. Mostly they do career switch in the end
You can try pivoting into sustainability space. Green buildings and ISCA related stuff can put you on good track. With 5 years of experience, you can break into 100k club.
Hi OP, I was in the exact position as you after finishing my Bachelor’s with 2 years work experience as well.
I decided to switch to building surveying instead of pursuing my Masters and am currently halfway through my building surveying course while working in the field.
For me it was a great fit as I still get to engage with the parts of architecture that I found interesting without suffering the anaemic wage. This may be different for you if you really enjoy the design aspect of architecture instead of the construction side.
Project management could also be a great option for you as you and is a relatively smooth transition from architecture from what I know
Hope this helped, all the best.
In society, you get paid based on how much value you bring, which is essentially how much money your contribution makes.
Nurses, teachers, essential workers are critical to society, but they get paid pittance because *they* don’t make employers money.
Investment bankers, entrepreneurs, specialist doctors, lawyers, salespeople get paid the most because they bring in the dollars.
There’s also an element of scale here, but I cbf going into it.
You may want to look up ikigai.
Private certifier pays well
Mate I did it and yes all that is true. No money in it. I got my masters and did about 5 years in it. Long hours and shit pay. Ask me anything specific if you want.
There’s no shortage of people that like to draw being told architecture is a profession for them. Unfortunately it is full of innumerate “artists”, and as such you will be unable to grow until you’ve had enough experience to separate from the chaff.Β
Become a software architect, so you keep the title but earn $200k+.
I would not proceed if I was you. Itβs all down hill. You become the clients bitch. The only if I knew how shit this industry is.
My brothers just been through the same thing. Landed himself a more reasonable paying gig in sales where all his clients are architects