If you have the skills to become an Architectural Designer, you also likely have the skills needed to begin a career in a related career path. Architectural Designers have hard and soft skills that overlap with architects, interior designers, urban planners, and construction managers. If you’re looking to pivot to a different career or want to explore related careers that might interest you, read on to learn about some options. 

What is an Architectural Designer?

Architectural Designers transform design concepts into reality. When studying architectural design, students learn how to create functional, sustainable, responsive, and aesthetically pleasing structures. This role requires one to develop technical design skills and soft skills. Architectural Designers must also keep up with industry trends. In recent years, sustainable design has become more popular among home and business owners. Many clients expect new builds to incorporate sustainable designs and energy-efficient systems. An Architectural Designer looking forward knows how to keep up with these trends and advancements in architecture and construction. 

Architectural Designers often work with other professionals involved in architecture and construction. Architects usually lead an architectural design team. They plan and oversee the construction process while also managing contracts. Architectural Designers may also work alongside Interior Designers, who make indoor spaces functional, and BIM Specialists. This role may also require collaborating with engineers, contractors, and clients. The level of teamwork associated with Architectural Designer roles means that individuals working in this field need excellent communication skills. 

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Architect 

Like Architectural Designers, architects need to know how to use software such as AutoCAD and Revit. They also need a solid understanding of mathematics so they can create precise designs. Architectural Designers who work at architect firms often work under architects who lead the project. They complete many of the same tasks, but architects handle more legal and business matters associated with projects. 

To become an architect, you typically need a bachelor’s degree in architecture. Most architects complete a 5-year Bachelor of Architecture at an accredited school. Some architects also earn a master’s degree in architecture, which can take an additional one to five years of school. On top of a degree, architects also need to pass the Architect Registration Examination. This exam will test your knowledge and skills to ensure that you’re qualified to become a licensed architect. According to Indeed, the average national salary for an Architectural Designer is $65,500 while architects in the US make an average annual salary of $88,500. 

Interior Designer 

Interior designers plan the inside, or interior, of buildings. They aim to make spaces functional, safe, and aesthetically pleasing. The responsibilities of an interior designer include searching for and bidding on new projects, determining the client’s goals, sketching preliminary designs, creating a timeline and estimating costs, and overseeing the construction of the project. Interior designers may sketch freehand, but most use CAD and BIM software to visualize elements of the project. When entering this field, you may specialize in particular types of buildings, like homes or hospitals. 

To become an interior designer, you usually need a bachelor’s degree. Interior designers may work in specialized design services or find themselves working in architectural, engineering, and related services. Homeowners may hire an interior designer directly or they may find work at an architecture firm, design firm, or construction company. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, interior designers in the US made annual wages of $62,500 in 2023. This average is slightly lower than that of an Architectural Designer. 

Urban Planner

Urban planners work on plans and programs for the use of land and physical facilities. Many projects that urban planners work on are designed to improve the environment that the project resides in. Urban planners are often hired by government officials, developers, and the public to improve transportation, housing, infrastructure, and the accessibility of residential, commercial, and recreational spaces. Like Architectural Designers, urban planners need strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills. They often analyze research and data, so they should have a background in statistics and data visualization. Most urban planners use Geographic Information System (GIS) software in their work. 

Urban planners may choose to specialize in transportation planning, community development, historic preservation, or another focus area. To become an urban planner, you need a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited planning program. Some employers require you to be certified too. The average wage for urban planners in 2023 was around $81,500, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Construction Manager

Construction managers plan, coordinate, and supervise all construction projects from start to finish. These projects include residential, commercial, public, and industrial projects, as well as infrastructure projects like roads and bridges. A construction manager may work out of a main office, but they also spend a large amount of time working in a field office onsite. Working onsite allows them to monitor projects and make decisions about construction activities. The construction manager ensures project’s finish on time and within a budget. They also interpret and explain contacts to other professionals and select subcontractors to work on projects. 

Most construction managers have a bachelor’s degree in construction, business, engineering, or a related field. You can also become a construction manager on a small project with an associate’s degree and combined work experience. For the first year of work, construction managers typically work under the guidance of experienced managers. Some states require construction managers to have a license and other employers prefer them to have professional certification. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that construction managers made just shy of $105,000 in 2023. 

How to Decide Which Career is Right for You

Before deciding which career path to pursue, you should consider which career is right for you. Many considerations can go into this process and you may find that you need time to carefully weigh your options. Before diving into a new career, consider the education requirements, whether you need on-the-job training before you can advance, what the average pay for that role is in your area, and whether you can work remotely. 

You need to consider the education requirements for a job before pursuing the role. Most careers discussed in this article require you to have a college degree, whether that’s an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree. College degrees can take years and tens of thousands of dollars to complete. If you don’t have a degree or can’t pursue one at the moment, don’t give up just yet. You can work in some roles with non-degree training. Architectural Designer training, for example, combined with internship experience, can prepare you to enter the field. 

On-the-job training is important for Architectural Designers and related roles. Learning how to use important software and work with blueprints is important, but you also need hands-on experience. You can gain this experience through an internship or an entry-level position where you’ll be closely supervised. Getting the opportunity to do on-the-job training can be difficult; you should first pursue formal training so that you know the basics before looking for an internship. 

For most people, pay is an important factor to consider when pursuing a career. As you’ve read in this article, the average pay for Architectural Designers and related careers vary. The level of responsibility the position comes with and the demand for the position explains most of the variation. Before committing to pursuing one of these career paths, research the average pay of them in your area. Pay can vary wildly across the country. If your area has a high demand for interior designers, for example, you may find that the average pay is higher than the national average. The cost of living also impacts pay. Areas with a higher cost of living often lead to jobs paying more than they would in areas with a lower cost of living. 

Some of these roles allow you to work remotely. Freelance Architectural Designers, for example, can work from home. Remote work is nearly impossible for construction managers because they usually need to oversee projects in person. Remaining on site for most of a project lets construction managers properly manage a project and communicate with the crew about changes to a project quickly and efficiently. If remote work is something you’re interested in, you will probably have to rule out the careers that require more hands-on work and direct supervision. 

Learn the Skills to Become an Architectural Designer at Noble Desktop

Interested in developing the skills needed to become an Architectural Designer? Check out these live online classes available to enroll in today. 

Noble Desktop’s AutoCAD Bootcamp will teach you the fundamentals of technical drawing. The 30-hour live online bootcamp covers the creation of 2D drawings using AutoCAD. Lessons range from beginner to intermediate-level skills. You can expect to learn basic drawing and modifying techniques for drafting and technical drawing in the bootcamp’s beginner-level lessons. As part of the bootcamp, you’ll receive access to a 1-on-1 training session with an expert who will answer questions you have about challenging course concepts and provide assistance with your project. After completing the course, you have one year to take advantage of a free retake. Before enrolling in this bootcamp, please be aware that Noble designed the course for PC users. Noble hosts in-person PC-only versions of the bootcamp, but Mac users may attend the live online bootcamp. If using a Mac, be aware that the Mac AutoCAD graphic interface is different from the PC version that the instructor will use.

For a more intensive AutoCAD training experience, enroll in Noble Desktop’s AutoCAD Certification Program. This live online program will prepare you to become an Autodesk Certified Professional. An expert instructor will guide you and your classmates through beginner, intermediate, and advanced-level AutoCAD. In addition to 48 hours of hands-on lessons, you’ll have access to six hours of private tutoring. During your tutoring sessions, you can ask questions about topics of interest and challenging course content. The program fee includes the cost of the certification exam and a retake. If you want to enroll in the program but don’t want to take the exam, let Noble Desktop know and they will instead provide you with an extra hour of tutoring. 

Sign up for Noble’s AutoCAD Masterclass to learn the foundations of AutoCAD along with advanced-level skills. You’ll learn through hands-on lessons that cover the basics of AutoCAD, like opening and creating drawings, exploring the interface, and using fundamental drawing and editing commands. Later lessons covered in the course teach effective working methods and accurate positioning. The course intends to help students gain real-world experience through project-based lessons where you’ll learn to use productivity tools commonly utilized by Architectural Designers. Along with 48 hours of training, Noble includes one 1-on-1 training session where you can ask an expert about challenging course topics. 

VDCI offers accredited classes to help you develop the skills needed to work as an Architectural Designer. In their Introduction to Revit course, you’ll learn about foundational Revit concepts and how they relate to BIM. This hands-on class will help you gain real-world experience as you work on a class project that includes floors, walls, ceilings, stairs, curtain walls, and roof design.

VDCI’s Revit Architecture Professional Program will introduce you to beginner and intermediate-level Revit. During these lessons, you’ll design 3D building models and learn how to explore BIM project management techniques. Three courses within the program cover construction documents. In BIM Construction I, II, and III, you’ll learn how to produce renderings for presentation and documentation. Lessons also cover building topography for projects and cataloging building information using schedules. 

Enroll in VDCI’s BIM Certificate Program to learn how to use Revit to create 3D models of commercial building projects. The 100% live online class includes 290 clock hours of comprehensive lessons covering Revit, construction documents, and BIM detailing. You will also have your choice of 60-80 clock hours of electives that will count toward completing your certificate program training, and you will gain relevant work experience while working on a capstone project.