Architecture and design
Architects, planners, and the people who shape the spaces we live in.
9 careers
Architecture and planning
7ArchitectDesign buildings and get them built. A long licensing path with three gates: a degree, logged experience, and six exams.$99kTypical pay7 to 10 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandArchitectural TechnologistTurn a rough design into the drawings a crew can build from. Two years of school, no exams, no license.$66kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandGIS AnalystTurn location data into maps and answers. GIS (geographic information systems) work sits behind 911 calls, utility crews and city plans.$81kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemandLand SurveyorDecide exactly where one person's land stops and the next one's starts, and sign your name to it.$75kTypical pay6 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandLandscape ArchitectDesign the outdoor half of the world: parks, campuses, waterfronts and streets. A licensed profession with its own exams.$80kTypical pay6 to 9 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemandSurveying TechnicianMeasure the land before anyone builds on it. You can start straight out of high school and learn on the crew.$54kTypical payup to 2 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemandUrban PlannerDecide what gets built where. Zoning, housing, transit and the long fights at public meetings.$89kTypical pay4 to 7 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemand
Design
2Industrial DesignerDecide what a physical product looks like, feels like and how it works before a factory builds a million of them.$84kTypical pay4 to 5 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemandInterior DesignerPlan the inside of buildings so they work, not just so they look good. Codes and drawings, not cushions.$67kTypical pay4 to 7 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemand