This is a pretty good time to be an architect or engineer fresh out of school.
A WalletHub study of the best entry-level jobs found that engineers rank first and architects rank 10th out of a group of 109 professions.
Also on the list are electrical engineer (sixth), industrial designer (36th), interior designer (40th), mechanical engineer (41st), and civil engineer (66th).
The results were determined by examining three dimensions: immediate opportunity, growth potential, and job hazards. The categories had 11 total metrics with a score from 1 to 100. The scores were averaged and weighted, and then combined into one total score.
Engineer was pushed toward the top because of the demand (it ranked first in job openings and fifth in immediate opportunity), and architect was found to be a job with favorable immediate opportunity and job growth potential.
ArchDaily’s Vladimir Gintoff provided some context for the architects’ score. “The study doesn’t appear to consider the debt that many architects graduate with, and it also doesn’t specify where this study was conducted," he wrote. "Also, though many of the top professions could be based in cities, architecture firms seem to hold affinities to urban environments above other careers, adding cost-of-living as a potential gouge to earnings. Nonetheless, the information should be reassuring to those deciding if they would like to pursue a career in architecture and also to the long term viability for the profession.”
Towards the bottom of the list are the tradespeople: electrician (74th), machinist (101st), carpenter (105th), and welder (109th, last). The low scores were largely due to the job hazards associated with them.
Related Stories
| Dec 8, 2014
The year’s boldest BIM/VDC themes
High-speed rendering software, custom APIs, virtual reality tools, and BIM workflow tips were among the hottest BIM/VDC topics in 2014.
| Dec 8, 2014
AEC firms upbeat about financial results, 2015 looking rosier [exclusive BD+C survey]
The market outlook is brighter for U.S. architecture, engineering, and construction companies, with a majority of AEC firms reporting higher revenues, strong forecasts, and sound financial health, according to BD+C's annual Market Forecast Survey.
| Dec 8, 2014
The global sanitation crisis leads to 2.5 million deaths every year
When we see the incredible technology being produced by global plumbing manufacturers, it’s hard to conceive why no viable technical solution to the global sanitation issue has come forth, writes BD+C's Robert Cassidy.
| Dec 8, 2014
Moshe Safdie wants to reinvent airports with Jewel Changi Airport addition
A new addition to Singapore's Changi Airport, designed by Moshe Safdie, will feature a waterfall and extensive indoor gardens.
| Dec 6, 2014
Future workplace designs shouldn’t need to favor one generation over another, says CBRE report
A new CBRE survey finds that what Millennials expect and need from offices doesn’t vary drastically from tenured employees.
| Dec 5, 2014
Plotting on the go: 3D-printed mechanical compass can print CAD drawings with high precision
Design student Ken Nakagaki has adapted a device to work with CAD software to replicate digital files on paper.
Sponsored | | Dec 5, 2014
New construction outlook report projects growth in 2015
A new 2015 construction outlook report predicts that total U.S. construction starts for 2015 will rise 9% to $612 billion. SPONSORED CONTENT
Sponsored | | Dec 5, 2014
Best practices for force transfer around openings
As wood-frame construction is continuously evolving, designers in many parts of the U.S. are optimizing design solutions that require the understanding of force transfer between elements in the lateral load-resisting system.
| Dec 4, 2014
World’s largest eco-resort to open soon in Indonesia
Just under 10 miles away from Singapore, Funtasy Island (yes, that's the real name) is a resort tucked away in the mangrove islands of the Riau archipelago.
