Overview
Directors of the highest profile large practices, such as Foster & Partners, can earn as much as £1.7 million a year.
London based practices have been shown to pay an average 8% more than those in any other region of the UK.
Average architectural salaries start at £17,000 a year for architectural assistants to £42,000 a year for a project architect with 5 years of experience.
Salaries for more senior positions vary a lot from practice to practice.
Below is a guide to average salaries for various architectural positions:
|
Position |
Annual Salary |
Hourly rates |
|
Part I / first year out students |
£17,000 to £20,000 |
£10 to £12 |
|
Part II assistant / recent post diploma |
£23,000 to £27,000 |
£14 to £16 |
|
Part III / newly registered architect |
£27,000 to £31,000 |
£16 to £18 |
|
Project architect / 3 to 5 years post registration |
£34,000 to |
£20 to £25 |
(Source: RIBA Appointments)
An associate at a large practice may earn between £40,000 and £50,000 while an associate with a smaller firm may earn between £37,000 and £45,000.
On average a principal of a large practice will earn twice as much as that of a practice with 10 staff. It is possible that those in a more junior role in a large firm may earn more than an associate with an established but smaller practice.
On average, principals in a practice with more than 50 staff will earn £120,500, almost twice the salary of a principal in a partnership with between six and 10 members of staff.
A survey of architect's earnings by the Fees Bureau found that the average age for peak earning in private practice was 45-49, while principals in a partnership are at their peak earning potential aged 55-59.
For more information on salary performance in the architectural sector, see BD's latest architectural salary round-up