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About Architecture
You'll become
Average Salaries
Architecture workers may earn between $47,000 and $88,000 per year
Build an exciting new career shaping our world and helping people achieve their dreams. It starts by studying an architecture course.
You’re a creative thinker with big ideas and the discipline to see them become reality. Turn your talents into a new career in a rapidly growing industry by studying an architecture course.
Expected to grow to employ 20 per cent more professionals by the end of the decade, the architecture profession in Australia is expanding rapidly and continuously adapting to meet changing needs for the places in which we live, work and play. By studying an architecture course, you’ll build the knowledge, skills and abilities required to work in an exciting growing field, and learn how to channel your natural talents and curiosities into a rewarding career.
Working closely with clients to achieve creative visions, architects are responsible for planning, designing, restoring and altering commercial and residential buildings. Working as an architect, you’ll draw on elements of art, engineering, urban design, geography, project management and drafting to successfully manage the complex processes that see people’s dream homes, offices and sites move from dreams to real places.
If you’re a big picture thinker who can work well with details, your unique skillset will set you up for success in the exciting and dynamic world of architecture.
In order to work as an architect in Australia you must hold an architecture degree, which you may study as a bachelor’s or master’s degree. After completing an architectural degree, you’ll work towards registration as a professional architect, and will likely work as a design or project architect, working in an architectural or design firm.
If you’re a creative thinker, like working with details, and want to build an exciting career working with people to help them achieve their goals, studying an architecture course is your next career step.
What do architecture graduates do?
After completing an architecture course, you’ll likely work as an architect, designing and planning residential and commercial buildings. Day-to-day, your responsibilities may include work such as:
- Meeting with clients to obtain advice and direction and to understand brief constraints and limitations;
- Interpreting creative briefs;
- Preparing plans, budgets, work plans and other information in response to a creative brief;
- Providing information regarding designs and materials for projects;
- Preparing project documentation, including sketches and scale drawings, and integrating structural, mechanical and aesthetic elements into final designs;
- Writing specifications and contract documents for use by builders and calling tenders on behalf of clients;
- Preparing sketches and draft designs, and marking up designs;
- Consulting with professionals about building conditions, including evaluating site and community data, considering heritage constraints, and interpreting soil, landform and vegetation data;
- Inspecting and managing work in progress, including working with a project manager to manage timeline and budget of work; and
- Performing general administrative tasks.
Career Outcomes
Career Outcomes
After completing an architecture course, you’ll likely start working towards registration as an architect, and may work in a small architecture firm or larger design or construction company.
Roles you may be qualified to take on after completing an architecture course include:
Is architecture right for you?
You’ll enjoy working in the architecture industry if you:
- Are creative
- Are highly organised
- Enjoy working with people
- Are a logical thinker
- Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Have excellent project management and time management skills
- Can take initiative and work independently
- Are open-minded
- Are a creative thinker
- Can pay attention to detail
- Enjoy experimenting
- Enjoy detailed work
- Enjoy drawing
Job opportunities
The architecture profession in Australia is a medium-sized and growing industry, according to the Australian Government’s Job Outlook.
Currently employing approximately 24,500 people, the profession has been increasing in size over the past decade and is likely to continue expanding until at least 2020, when it will employ approximately 29,000 people, according to Job Outlook.
The size of the architecture profession indicates roles are available in most areas of Australia.
Average Salaries
An architect can expect to earn between $47,000 and $88,000 per year, with an annual average salary of approximately $61,000, according to PayScale.
PayScale notes a strong positive relationship between earning capacity and work experience, with experienced architects earning significantly higher wages than entry-level professionals. An entry-level architect can expect to earn an annual average salary of approximately $55,000, while an architect with 20 years or more of professional experience can earn on average approximately $100,000 per year.
PayScale notes that architects commonly start their careers as design architects, and later progress to working as project architects. For that reason, skills in project management and planning may enhance an architect’s earning capacity.