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Both the age of newly licensed architects and the length of time it takes for them to earn that license have decreased for the eighth year running, according to the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards’ (NCARB’s) annual report, NCARB by the Numbers.
The organization suggests this is partly thanks to streamlining efforts directed toward its two programs, the Architectural Experience Program (AXP) and Architect Registration Examination (ARE). An increasing number of candidates are completing the two programs concurrently, and it is taking less time to do so—most of last year’s new architects completed both in just less than six years, while in 2015, it took slightly less than seven.
This year’s report also indicates on average, it takes 12.5 years to progress from enrolling in school to earning an architecture license. This is an improvement (i.e. reduction) of approximately 9.6 months from 2015. New architects are also about eight months younger than they were last year, with the average age of a new licensee being 32. This means architects are earning licenses approximately 2.8 years sooner than they did in 2007.
“By updating our programs to reflect the realities of modern practice, candidates can now pursue licensure in a way that fits their lifestyles,” said Kristine Harding, NCARB, AIA, president of NCARB. “With guidance from our licensing boards, NCARB has been able to open doors to a new pool of candidates while maintaining the rigor needed to protect the public’s safety.”
Image courtesy NCARB
