The career path as an architect is not short or easy. It takes years to reach top position, even more to stay there! This is one reason why it is so expensive to be an architect.

In this article, I will talk about how much the average architecture salary is in the Philippines and some ways to improve your pay scale.

I have included information on the salaries for junior, mid-level, senior architects and also discussed benefits such as health insurance, retirement pensions and paid vacations.

Junior Architects

Most companies only hire junior level architects directly (without having a middle manager). Therefore, their income depends mostly on their own skill set and effort they put into projects they work on.

The most common positions for junior architects are project managers, designers and draftsmen. Project Managers coordinate different departments while designing and building something.

Designers create architectural drawings that other people use to construct things. Draftsman’s make sure everything is written down correctly and legally.

Architecture Senior Level

This is usually the next step up for junior level architects. These individuals get their own budget and assistant who can help them complete tasks.

They may supervise lower level staff members or lead design teams. Having these higher level professionals working under you makes your job easier.

Mid-Level Architect

Mid-level architects earn around the engineer salary range.

Popular architecture in the Philippines

Recent popular styles include Filipino neoclassical, international style, art deco, futurism, modern, minimalist, industrial, and vernacular or indigenous design. These are often referred to as Philippine architectural styles.

Many people associate the term “Filipino” with roofs that look like they have been slapped onto an otherwise European structure, but this is not always the case. Many buildings use other building shapes such as those of the colonial era, which are modified and adapted for the local climate and environment.

Some examples of Filipino designs can be seen at Pasig City where there are many Art Deco-inspired structures, and Makati city where there are many skyscraper-like verticals. This shape was inspired by ancient Mayan temples and also recalls early 20th century steel factories.

The most well known Filipino architect is Leandro Veneruso who designed numerous landmark buildings across Manila including the US Embassy and Chancery, both the New World Hotel (now The Westin) and St. Luke’s Hospital, both of which were awarded the Pritzker Prize in 2002. He is best known for his clean lines and classic proportions.

Another famous name is Carlo Huesca whose work includes the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Library. His use of color is very striking and he is regarded as one of the main exponents of Brutalist architecture.

Famous architects in the Philippines

Being an architect is a lucrative career, but it does not necessarily mean that every architect’s salary is the same. Some people make a lot more money than others with similar degrees and professional experiences.

There are many different factors that determine how much you earn as an architecture professional in the country of your employment. These include education level, experience, area of specialization, and position.

Also, some employers tend to be less informed about what the average architectural income is, so we decided to do some research for you!

We gathered information from various sources and compiled it into this article, which contains all the details you need to know about the salaries of architects in the Philippines.

The future of architecture in the Philippines

As we already mentioned, the market for architects is not very lucrative at the moment. This can be due to several factors including limited demand for professional services, competition from other professionals like engineers, cost-effective alternatives, and lack of awareness about what an architect does.

However, this doesn’t mean that there isn't a bright future ahead!

If you are looking to make good money as an architect, here are some things you should do to ensure your success.

How to become an architect

Being an architecture professional is not easy, nor does it come with a free pass to eat snacks and take breaks during work hours. There are many ways to pursue this career path so anyone can get into the field!

While most people know architects as individuals who design buildings, there’s more to it than that. Architects also have degrees, they oversee projects, and they manage staff members.

Their responsibilities range from designing individual structures such as houses or offices all the way up to managing entire campuses for a university.

With how much money architects make, they’re usually able to live comfortably anywhere between one to two years after college graduation. This isn’t always the case though, and even being unskilled in architecture may still earn you enough to survive.

But earning a high salary as an architect takes hard work and dedication, so be sure you're prepared to put in the effort before jumping in.

Find an architecture firm

As with any career, being able to access adequate employment opportunities is one of the most important things you will need to know about before jumping into this field. Just because someone else has a job doesn’t mean they are paid well or that their experiences were the same as yours!

Finding out how much architects make per year can be quite difficult since there are no nationwide organization databases that contain all architect salaries. There are some websites that offer salary information for individual firms though so it is worth your time to do some research.

We have compiled data from several sources here at The Expat Architect to give you an accurate picture of what the average Filipino architect makes per year. We also included some insights into the different fields that make up the profession and why certain professions seem to earn more than others.

Ways to get clients

Being an architect is not easy, but it’s definitely not free. Getting new business comes down to consistently offering quality work and putting in effort to market your services. You can make some extra money by doing sponsored events or giveaways for Architects Day.

Running your own firm means you have to be self-motivated and organized. Even when you are busy with client work, you must stay active online and via social media to promote yourself.

Architecture students are valuable resources that most architecture firms don’t use. If you're looking to advance beyond entry level positions, developing relationships with student groups and sharing knowledge and skills is a way to gain experience.

On top of all this, many architects will need help running office tasks such as taking messages, ordering supplies, and paying bills. While no one expects you to do these things for them, it's important to know who does and what their pay structure is.

Marketing your business

After you launch your architecture career, the next step is to market yourself professionally. This can be tough because there are so many ways to showcase your skills as an architect!

Running an architectural firm means that you will have to advertise your services, respond to messages and inquiries from potential clients, manage relationships with other professionals, and keep up-to-date on developments in the field.

To make sure people know about your expertise, you must put effort into promoting yourself and your profession. Creating engaging social media profiles, writing professional looking advertisements, responding to comments and questions – all these things help promote your business.

General marketing strategies like posting pictures and giving interviews are great ways to get your name out there. More specific tactics include creating or editing websites and brochures, publishing articles, and developing your networking skill set.

Design inspiration

While not everyone has the chance to work in an architecture firm, or even design buildings, you can always inspire from the designs around you. The beauty of it is that anyone could do this – all you need are your own skills and creativity!

Many architects use their artistic talent to create inspiring layouts for rooms and decorations. Others take inspiration from nature or famous architectures to re-create those shapes and patterns.

Architecture is more than just designing pretty houses; it is about using creative strategies to solve practical problems. So if you want to pursue this career, start exploring different styles and how they apply to solving these issues.

Generalist Architects

These individuals study several fields of art and then focus only on applying them towards making beautiful structures. Some examples of generalists are artists who learn painting, sculptors who learn drawing, and musicians who learn music theory.

All three of these areas include concepts such as proportion, balance, and mathematics which make up the basis of good architectural style. Artists also spend time learning materials so they can paint with quality.

Concrete foundations

In engineering, we talk about forces acting upon a structure. We call the opposite of force stress, and when it’s positive, it means pressure. When it’s negative, it’s tension.

When a load comes into contact with free space (empty area), there will be some kind of movement.