Washington, DC—The number of architects licensed in the United States in 2021 stayed the same when compared to 2020, while the number of architects with reciprocal (out-of-state) licenses dropped by 3%, according to the annual Survey of Architectural Registration Boards.  

Conducted each year by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), the survey provides exclusive insight into data from the architectural licensing boards of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

This year’s stall in the number of licensed architects and decrease in reciprocal licenses illustrate the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the architecture profession, which saw consistent year-over-year growth in the number of practitioners prior to the pandemic. However, the number of new architects in 2021 increased by 23% from the year before, as reported by the 2022 edition of NCARB by the Numbers. While this is a positive sign of recovery, this number is still 24% fewer than the average seen in 2017-2019, highlighting the slow rebound from the effects of the pandemic. 

The survey reflects registration data as of December 2021. Additional data on the path to licensure is available in the 2022 edition of NCARB by the Numbers. 

*Ratio of reciprocal vs. resident licenses estimated based on national data.

**Data from 2021 survey

*** Data from 2019 survey

**** Data from 2015 survey

About NCARB

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards’ membership is made up of the architectural licensing boards of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. NCARB, in collaboration with these boards, facilitates the licensure and credentialing of architects to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

To achieve these goals, NCARB works with its Member Boards and volunteers to develop and facilitate standards for licensure, including the national examination and experience program. NCARB also recommends regulatory guidelines for licensing boards and helps architects expand their professional reach through the NCARB Certificate.

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