Looking at the magnificent ancient buildings, with such detail is almost breath taking. It’s amazing to think about how many people worked to create those giant works of art. Architecture played a large role in early society. The buildings they built were intended to be there for a very long time as well as be beautiful. Unlike our rich historic buildings, today contractors and builders are focused on putting up cheap, large, and efficient buildings. Very little time is spent working on creating visually appealing details.

Architects are usually grouped into the contractor, builder category when in reality they are one of the most impressive artists with the largest masterpieces. Unlike most artists who don’t have to please others or work with criteria, architects have to fit building, owner, and contract specifications. Not to mention making the buildings beautiful and functional. They can also find satisfying careers designing products for companies like basic Direct TV or Disney World.

What do you have to do to become an architect? To become an architect you have to recieve a minimum of a bachelors degree in architecture. You can earn a Bachelors, Masters, PhD, and Doctorate in Architecture. To become a successful architect it’s recommended to have at least a bachelors specifically architecture, the higher your education degree the better off you will be as an architect. There are many schools across the country including online schools that offer degrees in architecture.

How much money does an architect make a year? When first starting out as an architect you can expect to make an average of $41,950 a year with less than one year of experience. Once you have 1-2 years of experience you can expect to make $45,749 a year. Architects with 2-3 years of experience make an average of $51,640 a year. With 3-4 years of experience you can expect to make $60,250. An architect with a minimum of 4 years experience makes an average of $72,917 a year.

There are many other career options related to an architect for example An Architectural Director who over sees several projects makes an average of 112,925 a year. Architectural Drafters make $38,526 with less than 2 years experience, $49,273 with 2-4 years of experience, and $56,351 with 4 or more years of experience, and an Architectural Manager makes an average of $98,283 a year.

Architects play a huge role in completing building projects. They talk to the client about specifications, budget and other needs, then they draw the outside and floor plan of the building, once the design has been approved the architect over sees the construction of the building to ensure that it is being build correctly.

If you think that you would enjoy designing buildings and seeing them come to life you should look into becoming an architect.