The architecture profession continues to grow along with a gradually recovering economy, based on the results of the 2014 Survey of Architectural Registration Boards, conducted by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB).
The 2014 survey of U.S. jurisdictions indicates that there are 107,581 architects in the United States, a 1.6 percent increase from 2013. The number of architects has grown 3.1 percent since 2011.
“Our survey documents an architecture profession that is thriving,” said Michael J. Armstrong, CEO of NCARB. “NCARB will continue to spearhead changes in architectural licensing standards to support a growing architecture industry.”
Recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data also points to growing opportunities for architects in the American economy. Architectural and engineering services added 5,000 new jobs in September and 2,900 new jobs in October.
All states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands require individuals to be licensed (registered) before they may call themselves architects or contract to provide architectural services. Data collected for the fall 2014 Survey of Registration Boards are from all 54 U.S. jurisdictions and reflect registration levels from July 2013 through June 2014.
To become licensed, most jurisdictions require a professional degree in architecture and completion of an internship program. NCARB’s Intern Development Program (IDP) is a comprehensive program to provide interns with the knowledge and skills needed to practice architecture. All jurisdictions require completion of the Architect Registration Examination (ARE). Most states also require continuing education to maintain a license.
NCARB assists registration boards by leading the development and application of licensing standards and the credentialing of architects. The NCARB Certificate program is a program that allows architects to expedite reciprocity – the ability to offer architectural services in different jurisdictions after earning an initial license.
As part of the survey report, NCARB also compiles its own data on the number of reciprocal licenses earned each year, reporting 119,200 reciprocal licenses in 2014. That is down slightly—about 2 percent—from the previous year. “As the economy improves, NCARB suspects that many architects are finding new projects close to home without having to go to other jurisdictions,” Armstrong said. “We’ll keep an eye on this indicator as the economy moves forward.”
In total, the NCARB 2014 Survey reports that the 107,581 architects hold 226,181 licenses nationally. California reported the highest number of resident architects, at 16,618 total professionals, as well as the highest number of total registrations (resident plus reciprocal licenses) at 20,595.
Related Stories
Building Team Awards | Jun 1, 2016
Central utility power plant takes center stage at UC San Diego Jacobs Medical Center
An undulating roof, floor-to-ceiling glass, and façade scheme give visual appeal to a plant that serves the 10-story medical center.
Architects | May 31, 2016
JLG Architects acquires Minneapolis-based Studio Five Architects
Led by Linda McCracken-Hunt, SFA is one of Minnesota’s oldest woman-owned architecture firms.
Building Team Awards | May 31, 2016
Gonzaga's new student center is a bustling social hub
Retail mall features, comfortable furniture, and floor-to-ceiling glass add vibrancy to the new John J. Hemmingson Center.
Building Team Awards | May 27, 2016
Big police academy trains thousands of New York's finest
The Police Training Academy in Queens, N.Y., consists of a 480,000-sf academic/administration building and a 240,000-sf physical training facility, linked by an aerial pedestrian bridge.
Building Team Awards | May 26, 2016
Cimpress office complex built during historically brutal Massachusetts winter
Lean construction techniques were used to build 275 Wyman Street during a winter that brought more than 100 inches of snow to suburban Boston.
Building Team Awards | May 25, 2016
New health center campus provides affordable care for thousands of Northern Californians
The 38,000-sf, two-level John & Susan Sobrato Campus in Palo Alto is expected to serve 25,000 patients a year by the end of the decade.
Architects | May 24, 2016
Lissoni Architettura’s NYC Aquatrium takes first place in New York City Waterfront Design competition
NYC Aquatrium was selected from among 178 proposals from 40 countries as the winner of Arch Out Loud’s NYC Aquarium & Public Waterfront design competition
Building Team Awards | May 24, 2016
Los Angeles bus depot squeezes the most from a tight site
The Building Team for the MTA Division 13 Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility fit 12 acres’ worth of programming in a multi-level structure on a 4.8-acre site.
Building Team Awards | May 23, 2016
'Greenest ballpark' proves a winner for St. Paul Saints
Solar arrays, a public art courtyard, and a picnic-friendly “park within a park" make the 7,210-seat CHS Field the first ballpark to meet Minnesota sustainable building standards.
Architects | May 20, 2016
NCARB survey indicates continued growth of U.S. architects
The number of U.S. architects surpassed 110,000 in 2015, a 2% increase from the previous year.