Our salary survey first appeared
in January 2001 on the jobsite
www.architects-online.co.uk.
It has now been reconfigured and will appear each month with
updated information, on our own website.
FAQ -
Architecture
1) Where does
the data come from?
This is
anecdotal information revised each month in discussion with our
recruitment staff. In the course of their day to day activities,
salary levels are constantly discussed and can be accurately
assessed from real amounts offered to the candidates we place
into jobs. So, while not statistical, the data is from a real
source and interpreted by people actively engaged in recruitment
in these sectors.
2) There are
salaries being paid outside the maximum and minimum parameters
shown in the salary survey.
In a sector
where individual ability is paramount, there will always be
examples of people who fall below or above the parameters we
have given. However, the majority of salaries do fall within
these parameters. Nevertheless, the salary survey it is intended
as a guideline only.
3) Does the
data take account of geographic differences?
To a point. The
difficulty with regional variations is that while they
undoubtedly exist, they are not straightforward. The traditional
‘North/South divide’ has been eroded in recent years and more
importantly, there are (and have always been) variations within
a region. For example, a salary of £40000 in Central London, may
translate into a salary of £40000 in Central Manchester, but
only £35000 in Canterbury, Kent. While cities tend to generate
employment at higher salaries, the scarcity of qualified staff
in more rural areas mitigates this to a degree.
4) What about
contract/hourly rates?
The salary
survey does not cover contract rates but broadly speaking an
equivalent hourly rate can be calculated for any given role
using the following formula.
Annual
salary
----------------------------------------- x 1.1
1800 (hours per
annum).
This works to
around £55K, salaries above which contractors are much rarer.
5) What are the
definitions of staff types?
Most are easy
to understand, but some require explanation. Generally where
there is a reference to experience, it means total experience,
rather than post qualification experience. References to
‘outside practice’ refer to architects/technicians working in
those capacities, but for other organisations (e.g., local
government, house builders and commercial business’s). It does
not mean people working in another capacity (i.e. property
developer) who also happen to be an architect, technician or
interior designer.
6) What about
Technologists?
For our
purposes technicians and technologist are the same thing. The
term ‘technologists’ seems to derive from a politically
motivated desire by one particular trade association to separate
those who belong to it from those who do not.
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