The number of licensed architects in the U.S. increased by 3% to 113,554 in 2017. That’s 10% more than a decade ago, according to the latest annual survey by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), which has licensing boards in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
NCARB estimates that there is now one architect for every 2,900 people in the U.S.
The survey reveals that even though the number of reciprocal (i.e., out of state) licenses issued fell by 1% to 125,349, that’s still the second-highest number on record, and exceeded the number of resident licenses.
Last year, more than 5,200 candidates completed the education, experience, and examination requirements for licensure, another record by the Council's reckoning. These registration data “demonstrate that NCARB’s efforts to streamline the path to licensure and remove unnecessary barriers have been effective,” stated Michael J. Armstrong, NCARB’s CEO, in a prepared statement.
Earlier this year, NCARB launched a new Approved Test Prep Provider program, which allows companies to submit for review and approval study materials they've created for the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) 5.0.
California has the highest number of licensed architects (16,445), followed by New York (11,104), Texas (8,182), Florida (5,330) and Massachusetts (4,849). New York has the greatest number of reciprocal licenses (7,885), followed by Florida (5,284), Pennsylvania (4,614), New Jersey (4,611), and Virginia (4,413).
Related Stories
| Oct 13, 2014
The mindful workplace: How employees can manage stress at the office
I have spent the last several months writing about healthy workplaces. My research lately has focused on stress—how we get stressed and ways to manage it through meditation and other mindful practices, writes HOK's Leigh Stringer.
| Oct 13, 2014
Debunking the 5 myths of health data and sustainable design
The path to more extensive use of health data in green building is blocked by certain myths that have to be debunked before such data can be successfully incorporated into the project delivery process.
Sponsored | | Oct 13, 2014
The problem with being a customer-centric organization
Kristof De Wulf, CEO of InSites Consulting, argues that the effects of customer-centricity typically don’t endure, leading only to temporary improvements in company performance. SPONSORED CONTENT
Sponsored | | Oct 13, 2014
CLT, glulam deliver strength, low profile, and aesthetics for B.C. office building
When he set out to design his company’s new headquarters building on Lakeshore Road in scenic Kelowna, B.C., Tim McLennan of Faction Projects knew quickly that cross-laminated timber was an ideal material.
Sponsored | | Oct 13, 2014
Think you can recognize a metal building from the outside?
It’s getting more and more difficult to spot a metal building these days. What looks like brick, stucco or wood on the outside could actually be a metal building in disguise. SPONSORED CONTENT
Sponsored | | Oct 13, 2014
Liberty Utilities protects installers with Viega MegaPress
Liberty Utilities of New Hampshire wanted a way to keep its installers safe without compromising the quality of their installations, which is why the utility provider decided to start installing Viega MegaPress. SPONSORED CONTENT
| Oct 13, 2014
Department of Agriculture launches Tall Wood Building Competition
The competition invites U.S. developers, institutions, organizations, and design teams willing to undertake an alternative solution approach to designing and building taller wood structures to submit entries for a prize of $2 million.
| Oct 12, 2014
AIA 2030 commitment: Five years on, are we any closer to net-zero?
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the American Institute of Architects’ effort to have architecture firms voluntarily pledge net-zero energy design for all their buildings by 2030.
| Oct 10, 2014
A new memorial by Zaha Hadid in Cambodia departs from the expected
The project sees a departure from Hadid’s well-known use of concrete, fiberglass, and resin. Instead, the primary material will be timber, curved and symmetrical like the Angkor Wat and other Cambodian landmarks.
| Oct 9, 2014
Regulations, demand will accelerate revenue from zero energy buildings, according to study
A new study by Navigant Research projects that public- and private-sector efforts to lower the carbon footprint of new and renovated commercial and residential structures will boost the annual revenue generated by commercial and residential zero energy buildings over the next 20 years by 122.5%, to $1.4 trillion.