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 6, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: NEXT Living EcoSuite showcased
Tridel teams up with Cisco and Control4 to unveil the future of green condo living in Canada.
| Oct 6, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: Kingspan Insulated Panels spotlights first-of-its-kind Environmental Product Declaration
Updates to Path to NetZero.
| Oct 5, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: Johnson Controls announces Panoptix, a new approach to building efficiency
Panoptix combines latest technology, new business model and industry-leading expertise to make building efficiency easier and more accessible to a broader market.
| Oct 5, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: Software an architectural game changer
Interactive modeling software transforms the designbuild process.
| Oct 5, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: Tile manufacturer attains third-party certification for waste recycling processes
Crossville has joined with TOTO to recycle that company’s pre-consumer fired sanitary ware.
| Oct 5, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: Sustainable construction should stress durability as well as energy efficiency
There is now a call for making enhanced resilience of a building’s structure to natural and man-made disasters the first consideration of a green building.
| Oct 5, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: Solar PV canopy system expanded for architectural market
Turnkey systems create an aesthetic architectural power plant.
| Oct 5, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: Kohler builds sustainable booth at Greenbuild 2011
In a setting composed of reclaimed materials, biodegradable signage, energy-efficient lighting and more, exhibitor highlights its new products with ecological awareness.
| Oct 5, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: Brick offers growing options for sustainable building design
Brick exteriors, interiors and landscaping options can increase sustainability that also helps earn LEED certification.
| Oct 5, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: Roof hatch designed for energy efficiency
The cover features a specially designed EPDM finger-type gasket that ensures a positive seal with the curb to reduce air permeability and ensure energy performance.