Annual Average Salary Information
Annual Average Salary: $91,740
What does an Architecture and Engineering earn?
On average, architects and engineers earn approximately $91,740 per annum in America. These professionals work with clients of different sizes - from individuals to huge multinationals - providing technical advice and services. Architects and engineers can specialize in specific fields such as structural design, urban planning, civil engineering, or technical consultancy.
How to earn more as an Architecture and Engineering
To pursue a career in architecture or engineering, you will need to obtain a degree in either of those fields. Moreover, apprenticeship programs are a great way to get hands-on experience while earning a Bachelor's degree. To earn more as an architect or engineer, consider looking into specialised areas of expertise. Also, there is the possibility of taking on a managerial role or setting up a firm of your own.
Architecture and Engineering responsibilities
The average Architectural Engineer salary largely depends on the responsibilities of the job title. The job title might be for an entry-level position, such as Junior Architectural Engineer, a mid-level position, such as Surveying Technician, or a management position, such as Senior Engineer.
Careers working in roles such as Architectural Engineer, Civil Engineer, or Electrical Drafter, might involve duties and responsibilities like leveraging design software to develop construction or manufacturing plans or make calculations. In addition, you may calibrate equipment, ensure architectural plans meet regulations, visit customer sites, estimate quantities, and liaise with junior to senior-level professionals.
The highest architectural engineer salaries go to those with the most significant experience level or advanced qualifications.
Skills and education level
Your education level will also affect your total compensation. Most organizations and businesses will expect you to have a high school diploma and some relevant theoretical or practical training for entry-level jobs. Architectural Engineer salaries, and those of similar roles, will depend on the level of education achieved, which could be a high school degree, associate degree, bachelor's, or master’s degree.
To start on a path towards working in roles such as Architectural Engineer, you will need a U.S. high school diploma or a General Education Development Test (GED) pass to demonstrate you have high school graduate-level knowledge. A GED can be taken within America or from 90 countries globally.
The top skills for Architectural Engineers, Technicians, and Drafters, include attention to detail, design software proficiency, communication, problem-solving skills, innovation, and creativity.
What to expect from Architecture and Engineering careers
You can begin building years of experience by starting in a Junior or Trainee Architectural Engineers role. You will likely earn below the national average architectural engineer salary, to begin with. Although, the education level attained might increase your initial Architectural Engineer salary. You might work from an office, manufacturing plant, laboratory, or construction site. Working in smaller companies may help you develop broad knowledge, but more career opportunities and higher Architectural Engineer Salaries may be more forthcoming in larger organizations.
Certain jobs may offer work location flexibility, with a mix of on-site and work-from-home hours. You must be adaptable, working on different projects with new company clients and responding to ad-hoc requests and urgent amendments.
Architecture and Engineering job title
There are numerous job titles within the engineering and architecture industries. Examples of related job titles in this business sector include Architectural Engineer, Biomedical Engineer, Civil Engineer, Electrical Drafter, Landscape Architect, and Surveyor. Specialized jobs paying higher than average total compensation require years of training or field-based work experience.
You can search for architecture and engineering vacancies and salaries on Checkasalary.com for positions including Architectural Engineer, Materials Engineer, and Health and Safety Engineer.
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Highest-paying locations for Architecture and Engineering jobs
The location of your architecture and engineering job in America and the United States can significantly affect your pay and compensation. You can use our Salary Calculator to check the annual salary and hourly average salary for jobs in any location in America. We have salary and pay data for locations such as San Francisco, New York, Washington, Austin, Arizona, California, Colorado, Virginia, and more.
You could consider relocating to improve your compensation. However, if you do not wish to relocate, this does not mean you cannot improve your pay. A short commute and working for a business in an inner city location will often mean access to better salaries. If you are interested in a job in a rural location or city, you can use our annual salary data to check if employers are offering a below, above or average salary.
Architecture and Engineering professional development
The salary for architecture and engineering professionals varies depending on career level and experience. Entry-level positions have lower pay, while experienced and senior staff earn more. Relevant qualifications can lead to higher starting salaries. To increase your earning potential, consider taking training opportunities such as workshops or online courses. Our data provides guidance on wages and earnings for junior, intermediate, and senior industry roles.
Architecture and Engineering work experience
Having previous architecture and engineering experience in your chosen career can greatly improve your chances of getting hired and earning a competitive salary. Gaining practical experience through internships, apprenticeships, shadowing, and vacation work can provide valuable skills and knowledge in the field. If direct experience is not available, showcasing transferable skills gained from other experiences can also be beneficial to potential employers and demonstrate your level of experience.
Architecture and Engineering working hours
Working hours for an architecture and engineering job can affect monthly pay and salaries. Companies may offer higher overtime pay or additional compensation for working non-traditional hours, such as evenings, weekends, or holidays. The type of employment, such as part-time, full-time, permanent, temporary, or contract, can also affect the salary received and should be considered when evaluating compensation fairness.
Architecture and Engineering salary negotiations
To be well-prepared for salary negotiations with architecture and engineering employers, it’s important to research and understand typical salaries and compensation factors, such as average bonuses, for prospective positions. Use salary comparison tools and search for different job titles and locations to determine your worth. Keep in mind that compensation is not limited to financial benefits and performance-related commission, and consider other benefits such as the ability to work from home, additional paid vacation, gym membership, or private healthcare.
Annual salary, median salary, and taxes
When reviewing median or annual salary for an architecture and engineering role, it is important to keep in mind that taxes will be taken out of your salary. Taxes that may be deducted by your employer or required to be self-paid include Federal Income Tax, Federal and State Unemployment Tax, Social Security and Medicare Tax, and Additional Medicare Taxes.
Architecture and Engineering job search
If you are seeking a better salary, start your architecture and engineering job search today. You can search for jobs by job title and set up job alerts to get notified as soon as an employer posts their vacancy.