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.Typical pay$99kTo qualify7 to 10 yrsDemandModerateArchitectural TechnologistTurn a rough design into the drawings a crew can build from. Two years of school, no exams, no license.Typical pay$66kTo qualify2 to 4 yrsDemandModerateGIS AnalystTurn location data into maps and answers. GIS (geographic information systems) work sits behind 911 calls, utility crews and city plans.Typical pay$81kTo qualify2 to 4 yrsDemandGoodLand SurveyorDecide exactly where one person's land stops and the next one's starts, and sign your name to it.Typical pay$75kTo qualify6 to 8 yrsDemandModerateLandscape ArchitectDesign the outdoor half of the world: parks, campuses, waterfronts and streets. A licensed profession with its own exams.Typical pay$80kTo qualify6 to 9 yrsDemandModerateSurveying TechnicianMeasure the land before anyone builds on it. You can start straight out of high school and learn on the crew.Typical pay$54kTo qualifyup to 2 yrsDemandGoodUrban PlannerDecide what gets built where. Zoning, housing, transit and the long fights at public meetings.Typical pay$89kTo qualify4 to 7 yrsDemandModerate
Design
2Industrial DesignerDecide what a physical product looks like, feels like and how it works before a factory builds a million of them.Typical pay$84kTo qualify4 to 5 yrsDemandModerateInterior DesignerPlan the inside of buildings so they work, not just so they look good. Codes and drawings, not cushions.Typical pay$67kTo qualify4 to 7 yrsDemandModerate