Architect job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

16

O*NET task statements

Preparation

Job Zone 5 of 5

extensive preparation

Typical entry education

Bachelor's degree

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$99,280

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Architects, Except Landscape and Naval (O*NET-SOC 17-1011.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

1. Prepare scale drawings or architectural designs, using computer-aided design or other tools. importance 5.0 of 5
2. Plan or design structures such as residences, office buildings, theatres, factories, or other structural properties in accordance with environmental, safety, or other regulations. importance 4.8 of 5
3. Meet with clients to review or discuss architectural drawings. importance 4.7 of 5
4. Prepare contract documents for building contractors. importance 4.7 of 5
5. Develop final construction plans that include aesthetic representations of the structure or details for its construction. importance 4.5 of 5
6. Conduct periodic on-site observations of construction work to monitor compliance with plans. importance 4.4 of 5
7. Consult with clients to determine functional or spatial requirements of structures. importance 4.3 of 5
8. Integrate engineering elements into unified architectural designs. importance 4.2 of 5
9. Plan layouts of structural architectural projects. importance 4.2 of 5
10. Direct activities of technicians engaged in preparing drawings or specification documents. importance 4.0 of 5
11. Prepare information regarding design, structure specifications, materials, color, equipment, estimated costs, or construction time. importance 4.0 of 5
12. Administer construction contracts. importance 4.0 of 5
13. Monitor the work of specialists, such as electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, interior designers, or sound specialists to ensure optimal form or function of designs or final structures. importance 4.0 of 5
14. Create three-dimensional or interactive representations of designs, using computer-assisted design software. importance 3.8 of 5
15. Design or plan construction of green building projects to minimize adverse environmental impact or conserve energy. importance 3.7 of 5
16. Inspect the condition of structures. importance 3.6 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Thinking Creatively, Working with Computers, Getting Information and Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment.

Knowledge areas: Design, Building and Construction, Engineering and Technology, Customer and Personal Service and Public Safety and Security.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Autodesk AutoCAD, Autodesk Revit. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists no work experience in a related occupation as typical to enter.
• Training on the job: BLS lists internship/residency as typical once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 5 of 5 (extensive preparation). Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board and see how to become an architect.

The most common answer among O*NET's occupation experts for this occupation is a master's degree (43%).

Job title: Architect
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring an Architect to plan and design structures, such as private residences, office buildings, theaters, factories, and other structural property.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Prepare scale drawings or architectural designs, using computer-aided design or other tools.
- Plan or design structures such as residences, office buildings, theatres, factories, or other structural properties in accordance with environmental, safety, or other regulations.
- Meet with clients to review or discuss architectural drawings.
- Prepare contract documents for building contractors.
- Develop final construction plans that include aesthetic representations of the structure or details for its construction.
- Conduct periodic on-site observations of construction work to monitor compliance with plans.
- Consult with clients to determine functional or spatial requirements of structures.
- Integrate engineering elements into unified architectural designs.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists a bachelor's degree as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists no related work experience as typical to enter; set what this role needs]
- Strength in critical thinking, operations analysis and complex problem solving
- Working knowledge of Design and Building and Construction
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Adobe Creative Cloud software or Adobe Illustrator]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

The median annual wage was $99,280 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $47.73. BLS estimates about 106,770 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of Architects, Except Landscape and Naval to grow 4.3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 6,900 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

See the full architect salary breakdown by percentile, state and metro.

• Read a real architect posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Prepare scale drawings or architectural designs, using computer-aided…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only architect work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (critical thinking and operations analysis); architect interview questions turns them into practice questions.