Why do Architects make a low salary after graduation?

Question

Architecture degrees are some of the hardest degrees to graduate with and yet they only receive an average of only $40K a year after graduation. I know that their salary will increase with experience, but it seem unfair for students who put all of their effort and time in their architecture degree and only receive a small salary compared to other degrees that are less demanding and offer higher salaries after graduation. For example Radiology Technologist, or Graphic design degrees usually offer higher salaries after graduation

Answer 1

Supply is greater than demand.  Study economics, and you will not only get a higher paying job -- you will understand why architects to not get paid well.

Answer 2

The one thing that architecture schools do not teach students is professional business.  Here is what you have to understand about the business side, a large percentage of time charged by the intern to the project are not billable.  An intern usually takes 2-4 times the amount of time to accomplish their duties, since they are still learning the software, standards, codes, assemblies, etc.  With employment tax, health benefits, the employer uses a standard multiplier of approximately 2.7.  In other words, if an intern makes $40,000, the company needs to bill around $108,000 in order to break even.  Any amount above that is profit.  So in many cases, interns loses money for the company, the more they pay, the more they lose.  Even if the intern is willing to work lots of unpaid overtime, the project must be billed at the "standard" amount of hours to complete the work (not the actual amount of time taken).  Since most interns leave after a couple of years, employers are not willing to pay high salaries to train.

Answer 3

That's the way life works? You should have been a doctor if you were in for the money. Nurses only need 2 years of technical school to get a job at a hospital and they get around $30k-40k a year.