Help me with career advice please?

I want to be an Architect, but many people constantly telling me that it is a difficult career choice and the money is very low. I heard that it takes 5 years B.Arch+ 3 masters+1 year doctrine and in 3 years you can get your license. Why they are getting paid so low? Please tell me how much money I can expect as an Architect? If there any Architects or people who know??


I don't want to design people's houses or any buildings and live in apartment whole my life! Thank You.Help me with career advice please?
I will be in my third year of architecture school next Fall. I love it and I never worry about how much I am going to make. I am getting my 4 year degree in a somewhat unorthodox way.





I live in Madison, WI. The technical college (MATC) offers a two year degree as an architectural technician. This degree prepares you to work as an architectural drafter. The program at MATC has a 2+2 transfer agreement with SARUP (School of Architecture and Urban Planning) at UW Milwaukee. I am transferring to UW Milwaukee next Fall.





What is unique about architecture in Wisconsin is that Wisconsin is the only state left in the US that allows a person to possibly become a Wisconsin state licensed architect through work experience only or with any combination or school/experience. 2yr degree +6 years work (roughly, it is actually measured in hours) , 4 yr degree + 4 years work and so on. You don't need a professional degree. I will get to my point soon.





The advantage of taking the 2 year tech program in Madison, Wisconsin is that they prepare you for potentially becoming an architect by teaching the program in a way that will prepare you for taking the professional exam. Since they assume anyone with the potential will eventually become a registered architect in Wisconsin, they base thier curriculum on the professional exam. Basically, the program is a two year primer for the professional exam by teaching you drafting, sketching, specifying materials/systems, estimating, building codes, architectural structures, electrical mechanical systems and how to use different drafting softwares. (by the way the Wisconsin professional exam is almost identical to the National exam).





Now what if you don't want to only be registered in Wisconsin and you want your National professional degree? What I am doing is getting my two year tech. degree at MATC Madison and then transferring to UW Milwaukee to get my 4 year BSAS which will take only 2 more years. Then I will work for 3-4 years and go back for my B ARCH or M ARCH anywhere in the country, take the National exam and go out on my own or partner up (Not in Wisconsin hopefully). So yes roughly 8 years minimum up to 9-10 years possible from start of education to registered professional ready to start your own business anywhere in the country (although it would probably be wise to work under someone for longer). Not too bad.





I feel that having that 2 year technical degree plus the bachelors degree will give me a huge advantage over anyone with a regular 4 year degree when I am looking for an entry level job because I am technically trained and design/theory trained.





I would highly suggest looking for a way to get a technical degree that will transfer fully to a four, five or six year program at another school. The best way is to look for two schools that have a transfer agreement such as MATC Madison and UW Milwaukee. My advice is to look at architecture schools and technical schools and see which of them offer transfer agreements. Madison to Milwaukee is just one. You will go to school for the same amount of time and have a much more varied, useful education.





I will say that in order to transfer to a design school from a technical school takes more work on your part. Not only do I have to do all my technical homework, I have to integrate solid design principles into my technical assignments. What this means is, I do about 25-50% more work in the form of reading, research, drawing, sketching and modeling than my classmates who are not looking to transfer. It will be worth it however.





My advice about the architecture field in general, if you like it, do it. I talk to people very regularly who, instead of doing what they wanted, got thier degree in one of those ';secure'; fields such as nursing, accounting, biology etc. and they hate thier jobs. Don't be that guy/girl.





The only downside I see with architecture is that the field is very closely tied to the economy. When the economy is bad, people don't build as much. Versus the medical field where people never stop getting sick. So keep that in mind. Also, architecture is one of those fields that can often demand more than an 8 hour workday so be prepared for that as well.





If you become an architect, you will have your own house, you will have the nice cars and you will be able to pay for your childrens' college. It's possible you won't be filthy rich but you will be very comfortable. Every architect I've ever met is.Help me with career advice please?
If you really want to be an architect, go for it. But...if you are only going that route for the money than maybe architecture isn't the route for you.


Good luck!
You have to do what you want,not what others tell you.I have been in the building trades for over 30 years.I have paid my architect a ton of money over the years and he is worth every penny.
Just forget about what other people are telling you. If you want to be an architect, so be it. Set your goal and stick to it. Not everyone can be an I. M. Pei or Buck Fuller or Frank Gehry but there are plenty of good jobs in architecture and design.
If architecture is your calling the schooling needed shoulded be a drawback much like physicians or other similar careers. A median income for architects in the states is between $47,000 to $80,000. Interns can expect a little less. Senior architects can pull down from $100,000 to over $200,000 with bonuses. I don't see any of this as a poverty level career. Depending on your level of interest, talent, and dedication to the career, it is obvious the sky's the limit. All careers take work. If it was easy, it wouldn't be worthwhile.