Each year, NCARB by the Numbers provides exclusive insights into key data shaping the architecture community. This year’s report marks our twelfth edition, and, as always, we have continued to enhance and expand the information presented to offer clear and reliable data on the path to architectural licensure.
Together with our members, the 55 U.S. architectural licensing boards, we have used this information to implement several improvements along the path to licensure, maintaining rigorous health, safety, and welfare standards while removing unnecessary burdens. In June 2022, NCARB released free practice exams for each Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®) division, leading to an average 12% increase in pass rates for practice exam users, with the greatest increases seen for certain non-white racial/ethnic groups. These free practice exams—along with our work to audit exam item content for bias, launch ARE accommodations for candidates who speak English as a Second Language (ESL), and eliminate exam rescheduling fees—are part of NCARB’s strides to ensure the path to licensure is accessible for all candidates.
While growth in the architect population has slowed, we have seen an uptick in Record holders who are licensed in multiple jurisdictions and abroad, demonstrating the continued value of professional mobility. To meet our customers’ needs, we’ve continued to keep pace with an increasingly interconnected global economy by enhancing the value of the NCARB Certificate as a passport to global licensure.
Of the updates you’ll see in this year’s report, worth noting is the expanded examination section that allows you to explore the effect of practice exams on pass rates for various demographic groups. Additionally, we have merged two sections—State of Licensure and Navigating the Path—to provide a clearer picture of candidate progress on the path to earning an architecture license.
As we embark on our next year, we will continue using the information gathered in NCARB by the Numbers, as well as insight from our members, customers, volunteers, and the public, to respond to today’s most pressing challenges and uphold our vision to ensure safe spaces and places for all communities.
Michael J. Armstrong
Chief Executive Officer
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards