How to Become an Architect

Architecture is a wholly unique profession that requires rigorous coursework, training and licensing. But according to women in the field, it is absolutely worth it. Fairygodboss spoke to Kerry Nolan, an Architect with more than 20 years of expertise leading project teams, as part of our Discovery Series to learn more about how to become an architect and what the career looks like. Here's what we learned. 

If you ask Nolan, absolutely. Nolan loves that in architecture, there is a physical manifestation of your creative work and that you are actively helping to improve public spaces. She says that in architecture, work culture tends to vary firm-by-firm. But by doing research on anonymous review sites like Fairygodboss, architects can find employers that match their work-life balance preferences and other desired benefits, such as paid parental leave. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, architects earn an average annual salary of $79,380. However, in some states, the average annual salary sits closer to $100,000. 

In order to become a licensed architect, you need to complete a professional degree in architecture. Nolan says there are two ways to receive your professional degree: in a five-year Bachelor's program or a Master's program following your undergraduate education. 

Now that you know the basics of what a career in architecture looks like, what do you have to do to enter the field? Here are the steps to becoming an architect: 

Nolan first knew she wanted to be an architect after taking a drafting class her Sophomore year of high school. While knowing you are interested in architecture in high school gives you a leg up in preparing to enter the field, it's not the only way to introduce yourself to architecture. In other words, it's not too late! Nolan suggests learning more about the field by visiting the American Institute of Architects site, digging into architecture magazine (or similar publications), or seeing if local universities offer free architecture classes.

Once you know you want to pursue architecture, it's time to start your architecture coursework. Working in architecture requires a Bachelor's degree in architecture or a similar program, like construction management. Working in architecture also requires a professional degree, which may be pursued during your undergraduate career if your university offers a five-year program. For instance, Nolan attended Virginia Tech for a five-year degree in architecture. Her program combined both her Bachelor's degree and professional degree, allowing her to skip getting her Master's. 

If your university doesn't offer a five-year Bachelor's degree, you will need to get your professional degree through a graduate program in Architecture. These programs generally take two to four years, depending on the coursework you took as an undergraduate. 

Before you can become licensed, you must complete a training period under the supervision of a licensed architect. Most architects fulfill this requirement through an internship at an architectural and engineering services firm. The training period generally lasts around three years. 

No matter what state you live in, you must be a licensed architect to offer professional services. On top of earning your degree and completing your training period, you must pass the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) administered by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) to earn your license. According to Nolan, the exam can be taken online. It consists of nine parts containing graphical questions and multiple choice questions. 

While certification is not required, the NCARB also offers national certification to architects who can verify their education and employment history and provide professional references. Being certified may make applying to licensing easier for some architects. 

After you are licensed, the fun can begin! Nolan suggests researching firms and talking to firm members before applying to jobs to get a feel for their culture. She also suggests taking supplemental classes if necessary to apply to certain roles. One of the best parts of architecture is that you usually do not have to specialize in a certain type of project. Nolan says you don’t really know who you are as an architect until you get into the work world, so use this time in your career to try new things and discover what you love to do.