How Much Am I Going to Get Paid?
Friction can develop between employers and candidates due to a lack of transparency when posting expected salaries for jobs. This is especially frustrating for candidates who go through the process with vague numbers being thrown out, only to be offered something lower than what they expected at the offer of employment. This can be industry-dependent.
Some factors that influence your salary in the field of architecture are:
Size of the firm: Larger firms tend to be able to afford larger salaries.
Firms specialization: Basic residential design vs. large commercial projects. Private projects vs. public projects.
Your qualifications: Qualifications alone do not determine your salary, but they can positively influence your hire-ability for more prominent firms. This includes your education, certifications, and awards you have.
Time in the industry: Yes, your years in the industry matter but your years of experience + skills improvement or growth you’ve acquired over the years is more accurately going to predict your salary. Not all architects with X number of years of experience are going to have the same skillset.
Market conditions: During times of economic downturn, demand for certain goods can decrease. This includes demand for certain types of projects. This can be reflected in salaries.
Your responsibilities and scope: Your title may indicate what sort of role you play during the architectural process, but salaries can vary based on the actual responsibilities you take on in the project. Responsibilities will vary based on project complexity but the level of independent work is a good indicator of salary.
Many job postings (not just through recruiters) are at best, vague about the salary. Typically if it is listed there is a range. This range can be anywhere from $5,000-$30,000. Hardly a satisfying answer to the question “what am I going to get paid?”.
The best solution for this is to start the conversation early. Don’t wait until the very end of the interview process to discuss salary.
