The Architecture career is hyped and glamorized. Few architects work for well-known construction companies and landmarks, and get the opportunity to express their creativity.
However, most of the architects work on more ordinary projects, and also they are not paid well. It is assumed that architecture careers are underpaid when compared with the education and knowledge of the architect.
For an architecture career, the salary you earn depends on the size of the firm. If you are working in a medium sized company, you earn a salary of $25,000 per annum for entry level positions, while you get $75,000 per annum for higher positions. Architects working for bigger firms get salaries in the range of $30,000 to $90,000. Employees working at big firms earn more money, which also depends on the level of experience in the field of architecture.
It is commonly known that architects work for long hours as well as late nights. However, it is not true for all the firms. In some firms, architects work for 40 hrs a week usually from 9 to 5. The working time may be more in other firms. Working hours also depends on the projects that the company undertakes, projects' deadline and many other factors.
Some architecture firms undertake publicly financed and institutional projects in which they have to meet certain deadlines on particular stages of the project. An architect is responsible for completing the work within the given time, no matter how many hours he has to work.
Corporate culture in an architecture firm changes according to the volume of the firm. In larger firms, the culture may be more conservative and hierarchical, while in middle sized or small firms, there is more freedom. In the architecture career, creativity is a prerequisite. Since, an architecture career is business-oriented, it needs to transform a creative vision into something practical and efficient.