The Work Force

The AIA estimates the number of architects licensed in the United States at 108,000 (NOTE: this is from NCARB, not the AIA). Licensure is the highest form of professional regulation, and all 50 states require an individual to be licensed in order to call him or herself an architect. Each state establishes its own professional standards for architect licenses, and architecture registration boards in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and four U.S. territories, require that candidates satisfy those standards for education, training, and examination.

AIA Membership

Of the over 83,000 members of the AIA, 68% are licensed architects. The remainder—63% of whom are under the age of 40—are associate, or allied members. About 45% of all architect members are between the ages of 31 and 50 years old, and 1% of AIA architect members are under the age of 30. Members of the AIA College of Fellows represent 3% of the entire membership.

Of all AIA architect members:

• 81% practice in architecture firms (includes sole practitioners)
• 5% practice in other design firms
• 2% practice in government
• 2% practice in universities/schools/associations
• 2% practice in the corporate sector
• 1% practice in construction
• 1% percent practice in engineering firms (6% unknown practice)

For additional background information on the AIA, click here.

The Industry

In 2005, the 17,600 architecture firms owned by AIA members grossed billings of $28.7 billion, and architecture firm-designed buildings totaled $400 billion in construction contract value, a figure that accounts for about 4% of the total output of the U.S. economy (NOTE: information on construction contract value was from McGraw-Hill)

Facts and Figures

Nationally, architects' revenue can be linked to project type as follows:

• 66% is new construction
• 34% is rehabilitation/renovation projects

The Firms

Architecture firms employ approximately 194,000 people in the United States (2005, Bureau of Labor Statistics). The employees at architecture firms break down according to these percentages:

• 31% of employees are licensed architects
• 15% of employees are intern architects (on licensure path)
• 14% of employees are nonlicensed architecture designers
• 3% of employees are architecture students
• 19% of employees are other design and nondesign professionals (engineers, landscape architects, interior designers, planners)
• 18% of employees are technical and nontechnical staff (marketing, human resources, accounting, administration, MIS/IT)

The share of sole practitioners has declined in the last three years as firms with two to four employees showed the fastest growth. However, the largest share of billings remains the the largest firms. Firms with 50 or more employees constitute just 4% of firms, but account for more than 50% of gross firm billings.

• Sole practitioners make up almost one-quarter of firms
• About three-quarters of firms have 2 to 49 employees
• Firms with 50 to 99 employees make up 2% of firms and 2% of firms have 100 or more employees

In dividing industry billings:

• Firms with 100 or more employees account for more than one-third of the profession's total billings
• Sole practitioners account for 2% of total billings


The Clients

In comparing firm billings, as reported by AIA members, by client types:

• 22% are from business, industrial, or commercial companies
• 22% are from state or local government
• 22% are from developers and construction companies
• 10% are from nonprofit institutions
• 14% are from private individuals
• 5% are from the federal government
• 4% are from other architects, engineers, and design professionals

Firm revenues can also be divided among building types nationwide:

• 19% are from the design of educational facilities
• 6% are from the design of retail, food services, warehouses
• 14% are from the design of health-care facilities
• 12% are from the design of office buildings
• 11% are from the design of multifamily residences
• 7% are from the design of single-family residences

Source: The Business of Architecture: 2006 AIA Firm Survey, Copyright 2006 The American Institute of Architects