<p>A career in architecture sucks for most people, there is no other way to put it. This is coming from someone who loves practicing architecture. The salary survey in an earlier post is a very real fact. The vast, vast majority of architects do not make much money.</p>
<p>The pay relative to the quantity work, education, risk, and responsibility required is way too low compared to other careers. For that reason I have seen many passionate, talented people leave the profession over the years. The talent that is left, in general, isnt great. Speaking to someone choosing a collage major I would say that success of any kind is in the person, not in the school or career they choose. Those talented people found what they were looking for artistic expression, money, and interesting careers - in other ways. So pursuing a major in architecture is worth doing if it is something you are really interested in. But that pursuit should be with an understanding of the realities of the profession. </p>
<p>There are many reasons for the bad condition of the profession. I can start with the fact that the general public does not see value in architecture work like they do in other professions. Most people pay highly for medical or legal advice, but they look at a set of construction drawings and see simple lines, not a valuable service. </p>
<p>Second, the artist mentality of many in the field leads to poor business practices and a self-defeating market. Many architects are so focused on expressing their creativity that they ignore simple business practice, not considering the true time they put into a job, estimating costs correctly, billing clients correctly, living up to deadlines, etc. So a naive client (most are) will simply hire based on low price, and a responsible architect is forced to loose work to an irresponsible architect, or cut prices. In a large firm the artistic mentality leads to the concept that one must so dedicated to their art or profession that they will spend endless hours working at it, regardless of pay. Many large firms foster a culture where draftsmen (cad monkeys) show their dedication by working endless hours.</p>
<p>Third, the laws and regulations surrounding the profession continue to raise the difficulty and responsibilities of architects. Building codes, environmental concerns, and the legal environment continue to raise the bar of performance for architects. And the pay has not followed.</p>
<p>I could go on, but this post is already too long. My own solution to the problem of income is to work in the related fields of construction and real estate development. I can get a better income while still working in close contact with architecture. </p>
<p>I hope this helps</p>