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Junior architect vs architectural designer

The differences between junior architects and architectural designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a junior architect, becoming an architectural designer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a junior architect has an average salary of $60,719, which is higher than the $59,122 average annual salary of an architectural designer.

The top three skills for a junior architect include revit, schematic design and design development. The most important skills for an architectural designer are sketch, sketchup, and BIM.

Junior architect vs architectural designer overview

Junior ArchitectArchitectural Designer
Yearly salary$60,719$59,122
Hourly rate$29.19$28.42
Growth rate3%-3%
Number of jobs85,35954,358
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 75%Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age4545
Years of experience412

What does a junior architect do?

A Junior Architect assists architects in the preparation of plans and specifications for the construction and/or alteration of buildings. They work under the supervision of an architect or lead designer.

What does an architectural designer do?

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.

Junior architect vs architectural designer salary

Junior architects and architectural designers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Junior ArchitectArchitectural Designer
Average salary$60,719$59,122
Salary rangeBetween $45,000 And $81,000Between $45,000 And $77,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCWashington, DC
Highest paying stateRhode IslandVermont
Best paying companyChubbApple
Best paying industryEnergyProfessional

Differences between junior architect and architectural designer education

There are a few differences between a junior architect and an architectural designer in terms of educational background:

Junior ArchitectArchitectural Designer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 75%Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common majorArchitectureArchitecture
Most common collegeCornell UniversityMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Junior architect vs architectural designer demographics

Here are the differences between junior architects' and architectural designers' demographics:

Junior ArchitectArchitectural Designer
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 54.7% Female, 45.3%Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 2.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 16.1% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%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%
LGBT Percentage15%6%

Differences between junior architect and architectural designer duties and responsibilities

Junior architect example responsibilities.

  • Accomplish the following projects as the job captain using Revit software from conceptual design to sets of construction documents.
  • Manage technical architects for development and support of existing and new terminal platforms to support Walmart mobile and batch application infrastructure.
  • Sketch design, municipal drawings, presentation drawings, elevations, co- ordination with consultants.
  • Assist the team with the design process starting from concept and sketch to final design project.
  • Participate in meetings with MEP consultants and contractors.
  • Design will support either in-house or cloud base services.
  • Show more

Architectural designer example responsibilities.

  • Manage in- house projects and AutoCAD drawings.
  • Manage design and coordinate construction of grind up, interior finish, conversions and remodel projects.
  • Lead the development of BIM modeling content for the architecture team as a direct report to the executive and lead architects.
  • Submit drawings to OSHPD for approval.
  • Submit & review OSHPD back check comments.
  • Participate in sustainable practices for leer certified projects.
  • Show more

Junior architect vs architectural designer skills

Common junior architect skills
  • Revit, 19%
  • Schematic Design, 6%
  • Design Development, 6%
  • Auto CAD, 5%
  • SketchUp, 5%
  • Construction Administration, 5%
Common architectural designer skills
  • Sketch, 15%
  • SketchUp, 7%
  • BIM, 6%
  • Architectural Design, 6%
  • Building Codes, 5%
  • Construction Drawings, 4%

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