Becoming an Architecture Designer via Online Education?

At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths. Capella University is a US school (accredited) offering architecture design courses to train individuals to become top-notch architecture designers, interior architects, architectural engineers, architectural project managers, golf course architects, naval architects, etc. Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 2,412,730 people employed as architecture and engineering employees alone in America, and their average annual salary is $73,590. Architects make on average $78,880 per year and there are about 101,630 of them employed today. Colleges and universities like Capella University that provide online education are successfully launching workers into this field.

Typical Work Locations for an Architecture Designer
  • Web Design Companies
  • Media Asset Management Companies
  • Engineered Wood Designer
  • Wireless Communication Designer
  • Graphic Designer
  • Camstar Designer
  • Lead System Designer
  • Visual Designer
  • Online User Experience Designer
  • Mechanical Designer
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as an Architecture Designer
  • Creative and imagination skill
  • Ability to communicate visually
  • The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense
  • Well paying profession
  • The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged
  • Freedom in instigating individual and creative ideas
  • The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions
  • A finished product serves as a promotion device
  • Critical thinking skills required
  • Opportunities to make many professional connections
Potential Drawbacks
  • Go through vigorous training for the job
  • Difficult to remain both artistically and structurally aware
  • Work with hands a lot
  • Create plans which are appealing and safe
  • Follow safety codes
  • Designing with client's desires in mind
  • Utilize computer programs
  • Be able to create concepts in the mind before applying to paper
  • Negotiate with business owners regarding prices
  • Working under tight deadlines
Related Professions to Consider
  • Architecture Designer
  • Interior Architecture
  • Director of Architect
  • Architecture/Interior Design Instructor
  • Architectural Interior Designer
  • Senior Architecture Designer
  • Architectural CAD Designer
  • Coordinator of Architecture Designer
  • Architecture Assistant
  • Architectural Engineer
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be an Architecture Designer
  • When you have successfully motivated others over whom you had no authority or power?
  • What is your career goals for the position?
  • The best way to explore a job before an interview is?
  • Example for best reason for interested in this job?
  • From where is your inspiration pulled?
  • What is the defination for long-term goals?
  • What makes you a strong candidate for the position of an architectural designer?
  • Your work history interview questions and answers?
  • What are weaknesses of a person?
  • Explain how distribution is arranged to provide customer convenience?
Common Collaborating Professions
  • Industrial Safety Engineer
  • Marine Architects
  • Mechanical Engineers
  • Electrical Drafters
  • Civil Engineers
  • Set and Exhibit Designers
  • Mining and Geological Engineers
  • Mining Safety Engineers
  • Landscape Architects
  • Project Architect
Architecture Designer Training books Architecture Designer (More) Popular books Potential Companies to Work For Common College Majors
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Physics
  • Math
  • Civil Engineering
  • Architectural Engineering
  • Interior Design
  • Landscape Architecture
  • Construction Technology
  • Regional Planning

Architecture Designer Salary Information

Category: Architecture and engineering occupations

Total # Employed in the US 2,412,730
Average Hourly Wage: $35.38/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$17.97 $24.34 $33.07 $44.34 $56.05
Average Yearly Salary $73,590
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$37,380 $50,630 $68,790 $92,220 $116,590
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
% % % % % % %
Architecture and engineering occupations — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Florida $45.77/hr $95,200
Alaska $44/hr $91,530
Colorado $41.19/hr $85,680
Mississippi $38.96/hr $81,030
Missouri $38.69/hr $80,470
Connecticut $38.32/hr $79,700
North Dakota $37.7/hr $78,410
Wyoming $37.14/hr $77,250
Virginia $37.13/hr $77,220
District of Columbia $37.03/hr $77,020
Ohio $35.62/hr $74,080
Oklahoma $35.61/hr $74,070
Delaware $35.44/hr $73,710
Puerto Rico $35.15/hr $73,110
Alabama $34.95/hr $72,690
Kansas $34.76/hr $72,300
Montana $34.75/hr $72,270
New York $34.12/hr $70,970
Arkansas $34.06/hr $70,850
Indiana $33.84/hr $70,390
Tennessee $33.72/hr $70,140
Guam $33.06/hr $68,770
North Carolina $32.96/hr $68,560
Iowa $32.91/hr $68,460
Utah $32.85/hr $68,330
Nebraska $32.81/hr $68,240
Massachusetts $32.8/hr $68,220
Idaho $32.64/hr $67,890
South Carolina $32.63/hr $67,870
New Hampshire $32.55/hr $67,690
South Dakota $32.47/hr $67,530
Wisconsin $32.23/hr $67,030
Maine $32.07/hr $66,710
Washington $32.06/hr $66,690
Oregon $31.76/hr $66,070
Hawaii $31.28/hr $65,070
Kentucky $30.89/hr $64,260
Michigan $30.8/hr $64,070
Louisiana $30.67/hr $63,800
Maryland $29.89/hr $62,180
New Mexico $29.36/hr $61,070
California $29.27/hr $60,880
Nevada $28.95/hr $60,210
Pennsylvania $28.31/hr $58,890
New Jersey $27.47/hr $57,130
West Virginia $26.54/hr $55,200


Category: Architects, except landscape and naval

Total # Employed in the US 101,630
Average Hourly Wage: $37.93/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$20.34 $26.4 $34.95 $45.01 $58.96
Average Yearly Salary $78,880
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$42,320 $54,910 $72,700 $93,620 $122,640
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.3% 1.9% 4.8% 4.8% 51.6% 28.0% 8.6%
Architects, except landscape and naval — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Puerto Rico $46.08/hr $95,840
New York $45.02/hr $93,640
Colorado $43.6/hr $90,690
Delaware $43.55/hr $90,580
North Dakota $40.89/hr $85,050
Oklahoma $40.78/hr $84,830
Missouri $40.57/hr $84,380
Alaska $39.56/hr $82,280
Idaho $39.42/hr $81,990
Florida $39.37/hr $81,880
Mississippi $39.09/hr $81,300
Utah $39/hr $81,120
District of Columbia $38.69/hr $80,470
Virginia $38/hr $79,040
West Virginia $37.77/hr $78,560
Wyoming $37.7/hr $78,410
New Mexico $37.6/hr $78,220
Connecticut $37.11/hr $77,180
Wisconsin $37/hr $76,950
Kansas $36.88/hr $76,720
Arkansas $36.6/hr $76,120
Indiana $36.3/hr $75,510
Hawaii $36.02/hr $74,920
Oregon $35.96/hr $74,800
Alabama $35.78/hr $74,420
Kentucky $35.45/hr $73,740
Nebraska $35.25/hr $73,330
Montana $35.05/hr $72,900
Washington $35.03/hr $72,860
Louisiana $34.84/hr $72,460
California $34.81/hr $72,410
South Carolina $34.74/hr $72,270
Iowa $34.63/hr $72,020
Guam $34.22/hr $71,170
New Hampshire $33.46/hr $69,600
North Carolina $33.44/hr $69,550
Tennessee $33.38/hr $69,420
Massachusetts $32.76/hr $68,140
Maine $31.82/hr $66,190
South Dakota $31.56/hr $65,650
Nevada $30.64/hr $63,730
Ohio $29.75/hr $61,880
Maryland $29.37/hr $61,090
Pennsylvania $29.16/hr $60,660
Michigan $28.81/hr $59,930
New Jersey $26.72/hr $55,580


Category: Landscape architects

Total # Employed in the US 18,940
Average Hourly Wage: $31.69/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$17.66 $22.48 $29.12 $38.43 $48.33
Average Yearly Salary $65,910
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$36,740 $46,760 $60,560 $79,940 $100,530
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.3% 1.9% 4.8% 4.8% 51.6% 28.0% 8.6%
Landscape architects — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Alabama $42.06/hr $87,490
Missouri $36.91/hr $76,770
Delaware $36.7/hr $76,330
Alaska $36.62/hr $76,180
Colorado $35.92/hr $74,720
Oregon $35.16/hr $73,120
Florida $35.05/hr $72,900
New York $34.96/hr $72,710
Mississippi $34.7/hr $72,170
Ohio $34.56/hr $71,890
Iowa $34.32/hr $71,380
North Carolina $33.71/hr $70,130
New Mexico $33.24/hr $69,140
Wisconsin $32.36/hr $67,310
Connecticut $32.18/hr $66,940
Arkansas $31.14/hr $64,770
Oklahoma $31.08/hr $64,640
Tennessee $30.85/hr $64,170
Michigan $30.84/hr $64,150
Hawaii $30.71/hr $63,870
Kansas $29.95/hr $62,290
Louisiana $29.88/hr $62,150
North Dakota $29.67/hr $61,710
Wyoming $29.43/hr $61,220
Utah $29.3/hr $60,950
Guam $28.88/hr $60,070
Montana $28.67/hr $59,630
Indiana $28.58/hr $59,450
Washington $28.4/hr $59,070
Kentucky $28.22/hr $58,690
Massachusetts $28.13/hr $58,520
South Carolina $28.01/hr $58,250
West Virginia $27.3/hr $56,780
Nebraska $26.97/hr $56,090
New Jersey $26.07/hr $54,230
Maine $25.76/hr $53,580
Nevada $25.64/hr $53,330
Idaho $24.88/hr $51,750
Puerto Rico $24.58/hr $51,130
Maryland $24.38/hr $50,720
California $23.81/hr $49,520
District of Columbia $22.85/hr $47,520
South Dakota $18.25/hr $37,960


Category: Architectural and civil drafters

Total # Employed in the US 105,320
Average Hourly Wage: $22.94/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$13.97 $17.39 $21.92 $27.61 $33.47
Average Yearly Salary $47,710
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$29,050 $36,170 $45,600 $57,420 $69,610
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
1.5% 12.6% 29.9% 31.3% 20.9% 3.2% 0.6%
Architectural and civil drafters — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Colorado $26.61/hr $55,340
Delaware $26.11/hr $54,300
Missouri $25.41/hr $52,850
Florida $25.29/hr $52,600
Alaska $25.26/hr $52,550
Mississippi $25.22/hr $52,460
Oklahoma $25.01/hr $52,010
Wisconsin $24.85/hr $51,690
Washington $24.68/hr $51,330
New York $24.66/hr $51,280
Montana $23.87/hr $49,640
Nebraska $23.63/hr $49,150
District of Columbia $23.36/hr $48,590
Connecticut $23.16/hr $48,180
Arkansas $23.11/hr $48,080
Idaho $23.03/hr $47,900
Virginia $22.76/hr $47,340
North Dakota $22.76/hr $47,340
Indiana $22.7/hr $47,210
Louisiana $22.64/hr $47,090
Puerto Rico $22.42/hr $46,630
New Jersey $22.09/hr $45,950
Kansas $22.09/hr $45,960
New Hampshire $22.06/hr $45,880
Wyoming $21.9/hr $45,550
South Dakota $21.87/hr $45,500
Kentucky $21.74/hr $45,230
Oregon $21.62/hr $44,960
Hawaii $21.61/hr $44,950
North Carolina $21.52/hr $44,770
Massachusetts $21.46/hr $44,650
Michigan $21.11/hr $43,900
Iowa $21.05/hr $43,770
Utah $20.88/hr $43,420
Tennessee $20.85/hr $43,360
South Carolina $20.84/hr $43,340
Ohio $20.14/hr $41,890
Nevada $19.99/hr $41,580
California $19.94/hr $41,470
Guam $19.78/hr $41,140
Maine $19.55/hr $40,670
New Mexico $19.4/hr $40,360
Alabama $19.38/hr $40,310
Maryland $18.09/hr $37,630
Pennsylvania $17.37/hr $36,130
West Virginia $17.14/hr $35,640


Category: Commercial and industrial designers

Total # Employed in the US 29,170
Average Hourly Wage: $29.52/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$15.29 $20.21 $27.92 $37.16 $46.11
Average Yearly Salary $61,400
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$31,810 $42,040 $58,060 $77,300 $95,910
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
2.7% 13.0% 19.3% 14.1% 42.5% 7.1% 1.1%
Commercial and industrial designers — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Massachusetts $35.15/hr $73,100
Missouri $35.04/hr $72,880
Maine $34.67/hr $72,100
Montana $34.45/hr $71,660
Oregon $33.43/hr $69,540
Colorado $33.16/hr $68,970
North Dakota $32.54/hr $67,690
Oklahoma $30.38/hr $63,190
Michigan $29.29/hr $60,920
Guam $29.28/hr $60,910
Hawaii $29.2/hr $60,740
Idaho $29.18/hr $60,700
Nevada $29.15/hr $60,640
Virginia $28.77/hr $59,850
Arkansas $27.87/hr $57,960
New York $27.84/hr $57,920
Wyoming $27.73/hr $57,670
Puerto Rico $27.69/hr $57,600
South Carolina $27.67/hr $57,550
Delaware $27.61/hr $57,420
Tennessee $27.45/hr $57,100
Connecticut $27.29/hr $56,770
New Hampshire $26.46/hr $55,040
Utah $26.14/hr $54,370
Alabama $26.11/hr $54,300
Nebraska $26.08/hr $54,240
North Carolina $26.06/hr $54,210
Kentucky $25.52/hr $53,080
Wisconsin $25.45/hr $52,940
South Dakota $25.41/hr $52,860
Kansas $24.87/hr $51,740
Indiana $24.55/hr $51,060
Washington $24.41/hr $50,780
Maryland $23.29/hr $48,450
Louisiana $23.09/hr $48,020
California $22.89/hr $47,610
Mississippi $22.19/hr $46,160
New Mexico $20.55/hr $42,750
Pennsylvania $20.15/hr $41,920
Iowa $18.76/hr $39,030
West Virginia $17.13/hr $35,630
New Jersey $15.85/hr $32,960


Category: Designers, all other

Total # Employed in the US 10,510
Average Hourly Wage: $24.24/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$10.18 $13.84 $21.16 $31.5 $43.22
Average Yearly Salary $50,420
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$21,180 $28,780 $44,020 $65,520 $89,890
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
2.7% 13.0% 19.3% 14.1% 42.5% 7.1% 1.1%
Designers, all other — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Kansas $30.67/hr $63,800
Virginia $29.09/hr $60,500
Delaware $28.31/hr $58,880
Oklahoma $27.06/hr $56,280
Oregon $25.94/hr $53,950
New York $25.9/hr $53,860
Idaho $25.53/hr $53,100
Utah $25/hr $51,990
Montana $24.13/hr $50,180
North Dakota $23.85/hr $49,600
Massachusetts $23.34/hr $48,560
Tennessee $22.89/hr $47,610
Nebraska $22.72/hr $47,250
Colorado $22.45/hr $46,690
Wisconsin $21.42/hr $44,560
Maine $20.95/hr $43,570
Hawaii $20.26/hr $42,140
Michigan $20.2/hr $42,010
North Carolina $20.07/hr $41,750
Alabama $18.97/hr $39,460
Louisiana $18.65/hr $38,790
Wyoming $18.58/hr $38,650
Mississippi $17.5/hr $36,410
Kentucky $17.32/hr $36,030
South Carolina $17.01/hr $35,370
Connecticut $15.25/hr $31,730
California $13.77/hr $28,630
Maryland $13.62/hr $28,320
District of Columbia $13.47/hr $28,020
New Mexico $11.34/hr $23,590


Category: Computer Systems Engineers/Architects

Total # Employed in the US 195,890
Average Hourly Wage: $37.5/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$20.04 $28.11 $37.02 $46.58 $55.31
Average Yearly Salary $78,010
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$41,680 $58,460 $77,010 $96,890 $115,050
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.6% 6.4% 17.0% 10.5% 44.3% 18.7% 2.5%


Category: Architectural Drafters

Total # Employed in the US 105,320
Average Hourly Wage: $22.94/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$13.97 $17.39 $21.92 $27.61 $33.47
Average Yearly Salary $47,710
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$29,050 $36,170 $45,600 $57,420 $69,610
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
1.5% 12.6% 29.9% 31.3% 20.9% 3.2% 0.6%


Architecture Design Programs by State & City