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The differences between architectural designers and architectural engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an architectural designer, becoming an architectural engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an architectural engineer has an average salary of $105,163, which is higher than the $59,122 average annual salary of an architectural designer.
The top three skills for an architectural designer include sketch, sketchup and BIM. The most important skills for an architectural engineer are python, C++, and revit.
| Architectural Designer | Architectural Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $59,122 | $105,163 |
| Hourly rate | $28.42 | $50.56 |
| Growth rate | -3% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 54,358 | 54,845 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
An Architectural Designer is specialized in planning and designing structures/urban landscapes. They ensure that company policies and standards are maintained when providing services to clients.
Architectural engineers are engineering professionals who design buildings that enhance the standard of living and improve the quality of life by applying science and technology to the real world. These engineers are required to collaborate with architects to evaluate prototypes used for buildings or systems construction and provide recommendations on how to comply with codes and safety standards. They must analyst sketches, blueprints, and models to identify issues related to the environment, acoustics, and safety. Architectural engineers must also ensure that building constructions are following government regulations and acts.
Architectural designers and architectural engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Architectural Designer | Architectural Engineer | |
| Average salary | $59,122 | $105,163 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $77,000 | Between $70,000 And $157,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an architectural designer and an architectural engineer in terms of educational background:
| Architectural Designer | Architectural Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Architecture | Architecture |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo |
Here are the differences between architectural designers' and architectural engineers' demographics:
| Architectural Designer | Architectural Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% | Male, 80.7% Female, 19.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 15.1% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |