Why are architects so underpaid? Here are 4 reasons, plus one way to fix it
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.
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