Joix

@ Laurstar07 - lol! ok, so you clearly are a better time manager than I was! (or perhaps you just enjoy partying more than I did!!).

or I could say that 1st year is easy......and the real killer is senior studio/design thesis and contruction documents in the same year! Could you go partying then?!

(I am just teasing you. I get your point completely!)

msheft

Joix - My very first job, believe it or not was in marketing. The company was looking for an engineer for a marketing position. This was 1976. Pay was $13,000. Two years later moving to software engineer pay was $16,000. Even now, while engineers pay is very good, marketing in high tech pays better if you have experience. To become a teacher, I took a 50% pay cut. Money isn't everything, happiness and enjoying would you do is everything!

rick12

Joix, I am sorry that it did not work out for you 15 years ago, but the profession has changed. Starting salaries have more than doubled, and even with the downturn we are in, hiring will continue to be strong for good graduates. We went to recruit at Iowa State this spring, and there were 72 firms there trying to recruit 35 students. This demographic trend is going to continue, especially as the baby boomers retire.

Yes, college is going to be a lot of hard work, but I managed to letter in two varsity sports and always maintained a dating relationship during college despite the hours. Those years in studio were some of the best I have ever had.

The partners in the significant architecture firms in my town are making more money than the partners in the structural and MEP engineering firms. Frankly I would never trade places with an engineer, even if I made less money. Construction management graduates will make more coming out of school, but it evens out pretty quickly.

My only advice is to work hard in school, put together a good portfolio, and if you don't love what you are doing, find another major. Look for good places to work, they are out there, and don't give up on your dreams.

rick

da_mad_cow

Thats not as bad as I expected Rick, thanks.

Easton

Egh, this thread just deflated my recently renewed excitement for architecture.

I'm now a senior since I "was" an architecture major back in my freshman year. I never even took a studio class on campus, just an intro to arch lecture course. But I got out because I was reading and hearing a lot more than I had known previously about architecture. I realized architects weren't in as much demand as I thought they were, and that most architects were employed by firms who had you design a closet or a bathroom, at most. But more so, I figured out I really didn't have much of an artistic talent when I was coming up through high school. For one thing, I had noticed better art pieces done by my classmates in art class who weren't pursuing careers or majors in art. At the same time, I never really 'wowed' anyone with my art pieces, except for this one clay project I did for an English class.

I did take some architecture courses at Pratt Institute but I was terribly discouraged by the achievements of my peers. I was light years behind. I had absolutely no previous art or architecture experience except for the typical art classes in school, and everyone else had portfolios ready to go. Still, I went to college determined to follow my dream.

Fast forward a few years later, a few majors later, I'm looking into landscape architecture. The programs seemed a little easier and the combination of the environment were more appealing to me. But then again, it's not much different from pure architecture.

I've never really taken the time to discover my artistic talents. While my current school doesn't offer architecture, I was planning on taking classes in sculpture and computer design courses to complete for a minor or even a major. Afterwards, if I felt confident, I would consider a masters landscape architecture program.

But now I'm not sure. My only other interest is in the field of geography, which I'm hoping would lead me into the urban planning field.

On a side note, I've taken construction management courses before after I dropped architecture, and they're very different from your typical architecture course. Obviously, the design aspect is nonexistent, but the field is really for your typical, blue collar man's man. I felt so out of place even as a guy, that I decided to return to my previous liberal arts school. But like everyone's mentioned, there is definitely a high demand for construction managers, who can rack up 6-figure salaries within five years from graduating. It was too big of a change from architecture that I wasn't willing to head into.

AlanArch

Do you want to design or just be involved in the design/construction industry? I ask this because I think your view of construction management might be a little simplistic. Yes, most of the "workers" in construction might might seem to be blue collar but many are making a good living. Think about who are managing all these workers and then who manages the managers. If you interested in understanding all the process and procedures involved in managing a project, it is a very legitimate career path. I believe Rick could give you a better picture. Because of demographics, your generation will have more opportunities than the previous generation, especially as the Baby Boomers retire in the coming decades. You can't outsource to India an on-site project manager.

da_mad_cow

I'm having a hard time making up my mind... well considering these:
I'm considered by almost everyone to be really good at designs, physics, chemistry, geography and accounting, doing good at math, economics and biology, but just ok at calculus.
With these things considered I thought architecture is a good choice.but money is really high on my goals list. Heck why spend so many years in college if I wont make a bundle? Just my thoughts....

rick12

da_mad_cow; If money is really high on your priority list then you need to go find something else to do in life, I don't think you will be happy as an architect. If you enter the profession with modest income goals i think you will be pleasantly surprised at what you can achieve. If you come in with high expectations for money, you will never be happy. I've had a few of those work for me and no matter how much money I gave them, it was never enough. They always drifted over to real estate and development, a path they could have taken with a lot less education.

rick

ken285

Why spend so many years in college if you don't get paid a lot? Because you love architecture for architecture and not for the money. I remember seeing a statistic that those in the architecture/engineering field are among the happiest compared to other fields. Money isn't everything.

msheft

If money is that high on your list, you have a very narrow view of what college and life is about. There is no profession that has a guarantee of a lot of money.

da_mad_cow

True, msheft. While I gotta agree with ken that money isnt everything, it does matter a lot. Well I dont know yet if I have that much love for architecture. I love designs though. As for money... well I dont expect million dollar hit, but perhaps 6 figures within 5-8 years of work, 10 max.
I'm thinking of combining Architecture with another major, as I'm definitely going all the way to masters. Is it possible to go with a different major, while taking architecture as electives, then take Arch masters?

da_mad_cow

I also wonder if my target, 8 years to reach 6 figures come as reasonable or too high.....
I cant seem to make up my mind. I love designs but want to make a good living as well. I spent my highschool years sketching and designing, mainly cars, buildings, landscapes, people, and cartoons. I still do so :P
Since I had no knowledge on CAD in hs, I played Sims and Simcity instead. Funny thing about Sims is once I was done building a house inside out I left it and built another, and when I had no space left I just tear it down and build a new one...

rick12

I also wonder if my target, 8 years to reach 6 figures come as reasonable or too high.....

That is a pretty tall expectation. We have had a few who have achieved that, but you would definitely be in the top 2% or 3%. The ones who have accomplished it have been outstanding with clients, and are the kind of folks that we could build a studio around. I still think you will be disappointed with architectural compensation and should go pursue some kind of business degree. You seem to feel like you have some talent, but you need talent and passion to do well, and I am not sensing a lot of passion.

rick

StitchInTime

Might I suggest a bit of out-of-the-cubicle thinking. A strategic investment strategy could provide income to supplement a paycheck.

Consider taking personal and corporate finance classes along with your other electives. One of the skills every college graduate should have is how to read quarterly and annual financial statments for public companies.

Also, don't underestimate how much industry knowledge you'll be acquiring as an architect which can be leveraged as part of an investment strategy. For example, knowing a city's detail plans for urban renewal may give you some ideas on REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) investments.

da_mad_cow

Rick,
Here's the thing, one should look forward to spend about 200k to get a degree in Architecture, but when they graduate theyre supposed to expect "modest" 5 fig incomes for the next 10-15 years? From that point of view it does sound like a waste of money, at least to me. Sure one can talk about its the passion that counts, but I'm trying to be realistic. Most of the time passion and dreams often get crushed in the harsh reality (1st hand experience).
Considering you sacrifice time, money, and social life others can enjoy while you work hard, isnt it logical to expect what your sacrifices' worth? In comparison, med school students spend about the same amount of cash and yrs to get a degree, yet they mostly make much more than arch students. From what I heard they generally pull 6 figures within 8 years or less. While this may sound tempting, its not for me. I think, sorry, I know I'm capable of doing med school, but I simply have no interest in it. Thats why I'm so at a loss right now choosing between passion and ambition.
I agree with what Joix said, its about the return of your investments. Like someone else said about this in another thread, I have my passion, but I prefer living lavishly since I only live once.