Why are architects so underpaid? Here are 4 reasons, plus one way to fix it
Architects have long complained about the industry's relatively paltry pay. Given the amount of expensive education architects require (master's level), and the years they have to put in (many) before qualifying to take a licensure exam (arduous), they have been rightly upset: Architects can barely expect to crack the $100,000 salary mark after more than eight years in the profession.
Now there are some numbers to back that up. Compared to every other design descipline Fast Company has studied in our our ongoing analysis of where the design jobs are, architects are underpaid, particularly as their careers progress. Their compensation increases at the slowest rate, based on years of experience.
Fixing the problem requires a nuanced understanding of the outside factors that limit pay, according to Evelyn Lee, president of the American Institute of Architects. 'Architecture is an industry that's always been known to work within tight margins,' she says. Part of the reason is that the industry long ago set standardized fee structures—basically a percentage of overall construction costs—and those numbers haven't changed much. 'Our ability to get paid more is tied back to that,' Lee says.
Architecture is also tied to economic cycles, and it can be a bellwether of recessions. 'When things are good, and people are spending a lot of money on capital costs, we are doing well. But we're usually the first service to get cut when people start to hold back, and we're the last to come on board when the economy starts coming back,' Lee says. And because they're never quite sure when the next project will come around, many architecture firms end up being conservative with their spending and salaries.
Subscribe to the Design newsletter.The latest innovations in design brought to you every weekday
SIGN UP
Privacy Policy
|
Fast Company Newsletters
advertisement
The final deadline for Fast Company's Next Big Things in Tech Awards is Friday, June 20, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News24
33 minutes ago
- News24
Elon Musk's X Corp sues to block New York social media transparency law
• Elon Musk's X Corp has filed a federal lawsuit against a New York state law 'Stop Hiding Hate Act' that requires social media companies to submit semi-annual reports on how they moderate hate speech and disinformation. • X argues the law violates the First Amendment by forcing platforms to disclose sensitive moderation practices. • The law targets companies with over $100 million in annual revenue, imposes $15 000 daily fines for violations. Elon Musk's X Corp has filed a lawsuit challenging a New York state law that requires social media companies to report how they moderate hate speech and disinformation. The complaint, filed in a federal court in Manhattan, seeks to halt the law, which X argues violates the First Amendment by forcing platforms to disclose sensitive information about their content moderation practices. "Today, @X filed a First Amendment lawsuit against a New York law, NY S895B," X's Global Government Affairs team posted Tuesday, adding that it had successfully challenged a similar law in California. "X is the only platform fighting for its users by challenging the law, and we are confident we will prevail in this case as well," the company said. The New York law requires social media companies with more than $100 million in annual revenue to submit semi-annual reports detailing how they define and moderate hate speech, racism, extremism, disinformation and harassment. Companies face fines of $15 000 per day for violations, which can be sought by the attorney general's office. X says the law is "an impermissible attempt by the State to inject itself into the content-moderation editorial process" and seeks to pressure platforms into restricting constitutionally protected speech. The lawsuit comes after X successfully challenged a nearly identical California law last year, according to the filing. New York's law is "a carbon copy" of the California provisions that were struck down, the filing adds. X claims New York lawmakers refused to discuss changes to the bill after the California ruling, with sponsors saying they declined to meet because of content on X promoted by owner Musk that "threatens the foundations of our democracy." READ | Musk's X sues to block California anti-hate speech law The company argues this indicated "viewpoint discriminatory motives" behind the law's passage. Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assembly member Grace Lee - who introduced the law - said in a statement that their act "does not infringe upon the First Amendment rights of social media companies, nor does it conflict with federal law". "Instead, the Stop Hiding Hate Act requires narrowly tailored disclosures by social media companies to allow consumers to better decide which social media platforms they utilise," they added. "The fact that Elon Musk would go to these lengths to avoid disclosing straightforward information to New Yorkers as required by our statute illustrates exactly why we need the Stop Hiding Hate Act."
Bloomberg
42 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Road to a $3.7 Trillion Stablecoin Market Is Full of Obstacles
The passage of stablecoin legislation in the US Senate marks a huge leap forward for the potential mainstreaming of cryptocurrencies that track the US dollar one-to-one. Yet there are still big problems to solve before many businesses can capitalize on the opportunities that are arising. Now, stablecoins are taking the leap from their original use as crypto-market poker chips to common mediums of exchange, offering merchants and consumers cheaper and more efficient payments systems.
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
New Nissan Leaf Halves Charging Time Thanks To Tesla Superchargers
The new Leaf borrows styling hints from the Ariya SUV Pretty much the only aspect of the all-new Nissan Leaf that will resonate with potential buyers, apart from its all-new Ariya-inspired styling, greater range and improved performance and handing, is the fact that it can be charged quicker than ever using Tesla's Supercharger network. When the original Leaf debuted in late-2010 as the world's first mass-produced electric vehicle, it boasted a paltry 24-kWh battery that delivered an underwhelming EPA-rated 73 miles of range. Landing in showrooms for under $33,000, not including the $7,500 tax credit, it was the best-selling EV from 2011 to 2014, and even picked up some awards like the 2011 World Car Award and European Car of the Year gong. The new Leaf has an EPA range of 303 miles The second generation Leaf came along in 2017 with a larger 40-kWh battery that elevated range to 151 miles, before a 62-kWh battery-powered Leaf Plus update followed in 2019 offering a (finally) competitive 212 miles. Charging the battery on DC fast charging was painfully slow at just 50kW which would take up to an hour to reach 80% state of charge. Offered only in front-wheel-drive, the just-launched new third generation model totally redefines those figures. Employing a distinctive Ariya-like crossover style, the new Leaf is basically the same size as its predecessor but is around 300-lbs heavier mainly due to the bigger 75-kWh battery that delivers 303 miles of range. Nissan has not given a range yet for its smaller, more (expected to be) reasonably-priced 52-kWh version but we can expect that number soon. At 150kW on a Tesla Supercharger, the new Leaf can charge from 10-80% in 35 minutes, nearly twice as fast as the outgoing model. In addition, a new three-in-one packaging of the motor, inverter and reducer into one compact unit allows for a 10 percent downsizing of the drivetrain. One extra styling revision that will impress potential buyers is that designers have shifted the charging ports from the nose of the car to the sides, just under the A-pillar. The new cabin is simple yet elegant Inside the Leaf incorporates scaled-down Ariya SUV aesthetics with a similar two-spoke steering wheel and large single piece screen boasting two displays. All specs get a 12.3 driver instrument display with the S and S+ trims getting a similar sized infotainment touchscreen. The flagship SV+ and Platinum+ models employ a larger 14.3-inch touchscreen that includes an Android infotainment system with Google Services. Expected to go on sale in North America this fall, pricing will be a thorny issue in the era of on-again, off-again, on-again tariffs. Given that the new Leaf will not be built in the U.S., but assembled in either Britain's Sunderland plant of Japan's Tochigi factory, America is not expected to be the Leaf's biggest market. Europe will be.
