Architecture Firms & Engineering Design Services
Rochester, NY has the most architects and engineers in Upstate New York.
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Need an Architect or Engineer? Here in Rochester, NY, We Have Them!
Rochester, NY is home to some of the country’s leading architectural and engineering companies. We boast the largest concentration of architects and engineers in New York State outside of New York City. This community is unlike any in the country, demonstrating a spirit of collaboration by joining together to lead numerous projects in support of the community, including Design Charettes, legislative activism, and the design and construction of Habitat homes.
Photo by RIT Marketing Communications Dept.
Strong Educational Base
Rochester’s community of architects and engineers starts with a strong educational base. Area institutions, such as the Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Rochester locally, and Cornell University, the University of Buffalo, Clarkson University, and Syracuse University regionally, are recognized nationally for the quality of their engineering and architectural programs.
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Keeping Talent Local
Rochester’s local design firms offer a broad range of expertise and experience, covering all areas of design services: architectural building design, mechanical, electrical and structural engineering, civil, environmental and site engineering, landscape architecture, and interior design.
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| Position | Rochester Annual Mean Wage | National Annual Mean Wage | Rochester Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architects, Except Landscape and Naval | $87,700 | $91,900 | 4.6% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $143,530 | $158,970 | 9.7% |
| Chemical Engineers | $77,200 | $121,840 | 36.6% |
| Civil Engineers | $87,860 | $95,490 | 8.0% |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | $97,430 | $136,230 | 28.5% |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $58,200 | $69,070 | 15.7% |
| Electrical and Electronics Drafters | $63,350 | $67,090 | 5.6% |
| Electrical Engineers | $98,940 | $107,890 | 8.3% |
| Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians | $62,390 | $63,880 | 2.3% |
| Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other | $53,280 | $68,290 | 22.0% |
| Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | $95,930 | $99,700 | 3.8% |
| Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $57,030 | $61,230 | 6.9% |
| Industrial Engineers | $90,630 | $95,200 | 4.8% |
| Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $61,740 | $63,390 | 2.6% |
| Mechanical Engineers | $91,090 | $97,000 | 6.1% |
| Surveyors | $64,650 | $68,880 | 6.1% |
Civil, structural, traffic, mechanical, electrical, environmental, transportation, architecture, landscape architecture, planning, 3-D design, interior design, geographical information systems, surveying.
Projects include the M&T Bank Rochester regional office, Eastman Business Park master plan, City of Geneva downtown revitalization, and Baytown Plaza expansion.
Civil, structural, transportation, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, architecture, water, sewer, solid waste and environmental expertise.
Projects include the Rochester Regional Health Sands Constellation Center for Critical Care, University of Rochester Medical Center’s new imaging building, Seneca Park Zoo renovation and expansion, Greece Central School District capital improvement project.
LaBella specializes in civil, highway, transportation and bridge engineering, construction inspection, mechanical, architecture, electrical, energy, structural, power, environmental survey.
Projects include Rochester’s train station, MCC Downtown Campus, Southeast YMCA, St. John Fisher College Chapel, and the RBTL Performing Arts Center at Parcel 5.
Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning, refrigeration, plumbing, fire protection, electrical, energy management, LEED services, commissioning, data and telecommunications, co-generation, life safety systems and computational fluid dynamics modeling.
Projects include Unity Health Park Ridge campus renovation and expansion, UR Laboratory for Laser Energetics Omega EP Laser addition, Monroe County Crime Lab, Barilla Pasta Plant, NY Battery & Energy Storage Technology’s Battery Testing Facility.
Stantec Consulting Services Inc.
Architecture, construction inspection, chemical, civil, electrical, environmental, geographic information systems (GIS), industrial hygiene, landscape architecture, mechanical, planning, structural, survey, transportation.
Projects include QVI renovation and technology upgrades, University of Rochester term agreement, and the City of Rochester City Hall’s generator installation.
Relevant Documents
Interested in Learning More About Architectural and Engineering Companies in the Rochester Area?
Rochester has provided ID Signsystems with the ability to grow and develop by tapping into the region’s large pool of design-focused talent, technicians, engineers and sign makers.
Paul Dudley
President, ID Signsystems
You know your business.
We know Greater Rochester.
Let’s team up.
Contact Us
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Thank You To Our Investors
We keep and maintain and are investing specifically in Rochester because that is where the talent is. We don’t succeed without the right talent.
David Velasquez
Vice President and General Manager, Corning Advanced Optics
Rochester has the manufacturing capability, testing capability, and intellectual horsepower.
Matt Fronk
Past Chairman, NY BEST
Rochester has a deep talent pool around all of the things that we need to do to commercialize advanced materials for the energy economy.
Ben Britton
Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Ionomr
The decision to expand locally was a relatively easy one for CooperVision. The Rochester area has provided so many of the elements necessary for a successful operation.
Jerry Warner
President, CooperVision
This region has some of the top universities in the Northeast as well as community colleges and business support from the local and state leadership levels to achieve any amount of growth the business would need.
Bradley Selleck
Vice President, Operations, Communications Systems / L3Harris Technologies
Rochester is home to some of the finest optics companies in the nation, almost all of which OptiPro does business with.
Mike Bechtold
President, OptiPro
We have a long history of people skilled in aerospace technology and precision optical assembly. We take advantage of the industrial base in the Rochester area. We also take advantage of the skill sets developed by our local technical institutions like MCC, RIT, or the University of Rochester.”
Tony Whitman
Cryogenic Optical Test Director for James Webb Space Telescope, L3 Harris
We have inherited an exceptional quality of life thanks to an impressive cluster of cultural organizations, unparalleled natural resources, and a resilient and welcoming spirit of community.
David Munson
President, Rochester Insititute of Technology
Once people get here and their families get used to short commute times, low home prices, the fact we have all kinds of recreational sporting activities, the quality of schools, they don’t want to leave.
Arunas Chesonis
CEO and Chairman, Sweetwater Energy
Rochester has provided ID Signsystems with the ability to grow and develop by tapping into the region’s large pool of design-focused talent, technicians, engineers and sign makers.
Paul Dudley
President, ID Signsystems
Our network of local universities, colleges, and optics companies has created a workforce pipeline that is unmatched anywhere in the United States.
Joseph Spilman
President, Optimax
GRE’s direction and guidance proved to be well worth our investment. Their passion to make the business environment in the Rochester area greater is very apparent.
Scott MacCaull
Workplace Interiors
There is unlimited, untapped technical talent in the area and I hope we start a wave of other companies moving to Rochester.
Austin McChord
Founder, Datto
Rochester has a long history of being a hub for telecommunications. There is a rich ecosystem of talent and services to support business growth.
Jai Ramachandran
Founder and CEO, Wire3
Rochester is the perfect size city to get business done. I’m always one connection away from anything I’m looking for.
Zack Phillips
President, Kink BMX
The work we’ve done and the momentum we’ve generated as a business has been possible in large part because of the talent, knowledge and industriousness of our people in Rochester, NY.
Dave Fall
CEO, Brand Networks
We have access to talent graduating from our businesses and technical institutions capable of perpetuating our success for years to come.
Marc Iacona
President & CEO, Simcona Electronics
The Rochester region provided convenient access to both railroads and major highways, as well as proximity to Barilla’s customer base in the Northeast.
Fabio Pettenati
Vice President of Supply Chain, Barilla America
Rochester has an excellent pool of qualified professionals with the right work ethic.
Bruce Caswell
Health Services President and General Manager, Maximus
The country is starting to recognize Rochester as a technical city outside of just software. We have optics and manufacturing that’s exceeding most of the baselines around the country.
Craig Lamb
Co-owner, Envative
Rochester has the resources optics companies need to transform their concepts into reality.
Dr. Duncan T. Moore
Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship and Professor of Optical Engineering
Rochester has a great base of intellectual capital in the science and technology fields at local businesses and universities.
Daniel J. Burns
Regional President, M&T Bank Corporation
We’ve developed vaccines to prevent cervical cancer right here in Rochester.
Peter Robinson
Vice President and COO, University of Rochester Medical Center
Among many great options, none could match Rochester in terms of talent, local supplier networks, and opportunities to partner with top-tier research institutions.
Andy Marsh
CEO, Plug Power
FAQs
Why are architects so underpaid? ›
Architects need to compete for the limited projects, and undercutting fees naturally take place. Most small firms operate on a thin profit margin; because a building's design and construction duration typically stretch a few years, they need a healthy supply of new projects to support their existing headcount.
What are good questions to ask an architect? ›- What does the architect see as important issues or considerations in your project? ...
- How will the architect approach the project?
- How will the architect gather information about your needs, goals, etc.?
- How will the architect establish priorities and make decisions?
While architects earn high annual salaries, their exact pay is dependent on their educational credentials, licensing, work experience, job position, employer, industry and job location. On average, architects in the United States earn around $107,945 per year .
Which architects make the most money? ›- 1) Landscape Architect.
- 2) Architectural Technologist.
- 3) Architectural Designer.
- 4) Preservation Architect.
- 5) Green Building & Retrofit Architect.
- 6) Commercial Architect.
- 10) Extreme Architect.
Pay for London-based project architects with more than 10 years' experience is up 12%, while those with six to nine years' experience has risen 7%-10%. In 2020, an architect based outside London with less then 10 years' experience was earning an average of £38,940. By the end of last year this had risen to £41,834.
Do architects get paid well UK? ›Average salaries are highest for all Architects in London and the South East. The average salary for Partners/Directors/Sole Principals rose; across all practice sizes in 2021 the average was £46,100, up from £43,500 the previous year.
How much do architects charge to draw up plans UK? ›The cost for architects to draw up planning drawings for planning applications starts from £5,000 for extensions and £7,000 for small scale conversions and from £10,000 for small scale new build schemes.
What questions to ask when first meeting an architect? ›Ask About Past Projects
They could pull out some plans that they've previously worked on which may give you even greater inspiration and thereby a new and more clearly defined direction for your own project. There is a lot of planning that has to take place when you prepare for a major home renovation.
- Review the Fundamentals. ...
- Research the Interview Process for Companies. ...
- Prepare for the Presentation Interview. ...
- Review Coding Fundamentals. ...
- Practice Answering Mock Solutions Architect Questions.
Challenges of the future
This situation is exacerbated by a wider skills shortage with architects being added to the Shortage Occupation List in 2019.
What is the highest paying occupation? ›
| OCCUPATION | 2021 MEDIAN PAY |
|---|---|
| General internal medicine physicians | This wage is equal to or greater than $208,000 per year |
| Family medicine physicians | This wage is equal to or greater than $208,000 per year |
| Emergency medicine physicians | This wage is equal to or greater than $208,000 per year |
The top 10% to 20% of architects earn over $100,000 per year, so how do you get yourself into that top bracket?
Is architecture harder than engineering? ›A common question among prospective architecture students is, “is architecture harder than engineering?” Rather than thinking of one subject as being harder than the other, the reality is that both are complex roles that have a demand for similar skill sets but in different capacities.
Can architects be millionaires? ›I personally know some architects (in their golden age of course) who are making US$300K-US$400K a year. I know some architects (also in their golden age) who are already millionaires by owning company stocks.
How much do architects get paid in New York? ›Wages typically start from $60,830 and go up to $162,930.
What qualifications do I need to be an architect UK? ›- a degree recognised by the Architects Registration Board (ARB)
- a year of practical work experience.
- a further 2 years' full-time university course like BArch, Diploma, MArch.
- a year of practical training.
- a final qualifying exam.
| Courses | Preferred Subjects | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Architecture | Mix of Sciences and Arts |
| 2 | Anthropology | Biology- for Biology Anthropology History- for Social Anthropology Geography – for Archaeology |
| 3 | Chemistry | Math/Physics |
| 4 | Biology | Math/Physics |
Architecture is rough. It's definitely not a profession for everyone, or more accurately, everyone who thinks they should be an Architect. In fact, architecture can be more of a lifestyle than just a job or a profession. Unfortunately, in many situations the cards often aren't stacked in the Architect's favor.
How much do architect assistants earn in UK? ›how much does an architectural assistant earn? According to the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), in 2021, part I architectural assistants earned a median of £22,000 (£20,000 lower quartile and £24,000 upper), while part II employees earned £28,000 on average (£25,744 lower, £30,000 upper).
What is the highest paid job in the UK? ›- Chief Executive Officer. Average Salary – £77,711. ...
- Entrepreneur. Average Salary – £101,000. ...
- Chief Financial Officer. Average Salary – £97,646. ...
- Lawyer. Average Salary – £48,414. ...
- Orthodontist. Average Salary – £77,757. ...
- Information Technology Manager. ...
- Cybersecurity Specialist. ...
- Accountant.
How much money does an architect make UK per hour? ›
How much does a Architect make in United Kingdom? The average architect salary in the United Kingdom is £70,000 per year or £35.90 per hour.
Is it worth being an architect? ›Architecture Careers generally do not pay very well
After college, entry-level salaries have always been very meager, and long hours are required. Many architects don't start seeing good money until after they become somewhat experienced, licensed, and accomplished. This generally takes 5-10 years out of college.
Architecture is a good career option in India but there are many things to consider before taking it. First, there is a lot of ground work that needs to be put in. After that, only after many years of professional work can one become good at it.
What is the reality of being an architect? ›The reality of being an architect is that a vast majority of the time spent – for a vast majority of the people who practice architecture, involves doing something that doesn't even come close to resembling design – but – since I am an upbeat and positive guy, I like to think your attitude plays a role in whether or ...
How can I make more money with an architecture degree? ›Becoming a (small) project developer is a proven and very realistic way for architects to earn money by taking (full or partial) ownership in a real estate project. The revenue is generated either by monthly rents or from selling the project with profit.
How hard is the architect registration exam? ›It is a very challenging and complicated exam process. People are failing the ARE Exam every single day. If the ARE was easy, EVERYONE would be a Registered Architect and it wouldn't mean anything.
Is architecture harder than engineering? ›A common question among prospective architecture students is, “is architecture harder than engineering?” Rather than thinking of one subject as being harder than the other, the reality is that both are complex roles that have a demand for similar skill sets but in different capacities.
Which is harder architecture or medicine? ›Medicine is a much more difficult subject to study than architecture. Medical school is difficult because it requires students to learn a large amount of complex information over a long period of time (14 years), with theoretical and practical exams designed to eliminate all but the best students.
Is law harder than architecture? ›Studying Architecture is equally as hard as Law. Studying either Architecture or Law is no easy task. Both are demanding in terms of the vast amount of information and the high number of hours required to study.
Why is architecture so hard? ›Architecture is very design heavy and problem-solving based. These things require deep thinking and critical thought. In a world filled with distractions it's becoming harder and harder to put your head down and just work on deep-thinking tasks.
Is architecture a difficult degree? ›
Architecture is more difficult than many degrees as it involves thinking creatively and technically, covering a wide range of disciplines, including art, science, history, geography, and philosophy. Architecture is also an incredibly time-intensive course, with an average workload of 36.7 hours per week.
What GCSE do u need to be a architect? ›Entry requirements
You'll usually need: 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science. 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree.
Meeting deadlines, dealing with planning and fabricating the dreams of our clients, our job can be intense and extremely demanding. Often when we complain about it to our non-architect friends, however much they try, they don't quite understand.
What is harder architecture or interior design? ›Architecture or Interior Design, Which One Harder To Study? (Solved & Explained) Architecture is harder to study than Interior design due to the heavy workload, complexity and broad range of subjects. Interior designers usually need a bachelor's degree with a focus on interior design.
Can you make 6 figures as an architect? ›How do you make a six-figure sum as an architect? Being in the top income bracket takes a mixture of perseverance, effort, and a plan to succeed. Others do it, and so can you. You can do several things to reach this financial goal while working as a salaried employee – both Design Architect and Project Architect.
Do project managers get paid more than architects? ›Project architects and project managers can make comparable salaries. The average salary for a project architect is $80,792 per year . A project manager makes an average of $74,889 per year . Salaries for both positions can vary based on education, employer and geographic location.
Is an associates degree in architecture worth it? ›Earning an associate degree in architecture can help you get an entry-level position in the field. There are several opportunities you might pursue that can help you build your skills and learn about architecture as you start your career.