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The differences between project 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 project architect, becoming an architectural designer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a project architect has an average salary of $76,812, which is higher than the $59,122 average annual salary of an architectural designer.
The top three skills for a project architect include revit, autocad and sketch. The most important skills for an architectural designer are sketch, sketchup, and BIM.
| Project Architect | Architectural Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $76,812 | $59,122 |
| Hourly rate | $36.93 | $28.42 |
| Growth rate | 3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 82,192 | 54,358 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
A project architect spearheads and oversees a construction project's design and development procedures from the planning stages to its completion, ensuring it adheres to standards, budgets, and deadlines. They primarily coordinate with the clients to understand and identify project needs, leading the engineers and contractors throughout the project. They are also typically in charge of preparing all of the necessary documents and ensuring that procedures adhere to state and federal laws, including the environmental, zoning, and safety standards. Additionally, a project architect maintains an open communication line with the clients, updating them regularly.
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.
Project architects and architectural designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Architect | Architectural Designer | |
| Average salary | $76,812 | $59,122 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $110,000 | Between $45,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Vermont |
| Best paying company | Western Alliance Bank | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Professional |
There are a few differences between a project architect and an architectural designer in terms of educational background:
| Project Architect | Architectural Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Architecture | Architecture |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between project architects' and architectural designers' demographics:
| Project Architect | Architectural Designer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.9% Female, 19.1% | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.3% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 16.4% White, 64.9% 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 Percentage | 15% | 6% |