Architect vs General Contractor

Side-by-side license comparison

Live DataLast updated: April 13, 2026·Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards

Quick Verdict

Higher Earning

General Contractor

Easier to Obtain

General Contractor

Lower Fee

General Contractor

Detailed Comparison

Metric	Architect	General Contractor
Category	Architecture	Trades
Median Salary	$93,310	$101,480
Avg Initial Fee	$502	$359
Difficulty	Very High	Medium-High
Education	B.Arch or M.Arch + AXP (3740 hours)	Experience-based (2-5 years)
Exam	ARE (6 divisions)	State Contractor Exam
Time to License	8-11 years	3-6 years
Renewal Period	Every 2 yr	Every 2 yr
CE Hours / Cycle	24 hrs	14 hrs
States Requiring	53 of 53	41 of 53

Salary Comparison

Architect

Median Salary$93,310

Avg Salary$93,310

Avg License Fee$502

General Contractor

Median Salary$101,480

Avg Salary$101,480

Avg License Fee$359

General Contractor earns $8,170 more per year on average. Over a 10-year career span, that adds up to approximately $81,700 in additional earnings.

Explore Each Occupation

ArchitectView all 53 state requirements General ContractorView all 53 state requirements

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LicenseWize Editorial TeamData Specialists

The LicenseWize editorial team aggregates and verifies licenses data from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.

✓ Sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards✓ Quarterly review✓ No paid placements

Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pays more: Architect or General Contractor?

General Contractor has a higher median salary at $101,480 per year, compared to $93,310 for Architect — a difference of $8,170 annually.

Is it harder to get licensed as a Architect or a General Contractor?

Architect licensing is rated Very High difficulty, while General Contractor is rated Medium-High. Architect requires B.Arch or M.Arch + AXP (3740 hours) and typically takes 8-11 years, compared to Experience-based (2-5 years) and 3-6 years for General Contractor.

Which license costs more: Architect or General Contractor?

Architect has a higher average initial fee of $502, while General Contractor averages $359 — a difference of $143.

Do all states require a license for Architect and General Contractor?

Architect requires licensing in 53 of 53 jurisdictions, while General Contractor requires it in 41 of 53 jurisdictions. Requirements vary significantly by state.

Which career is faster to enter: Architect or General Contractor?

Architect typically takes 8-11 years from start to licensure, while General Contractor takes 3-6 years. Consider both the time investment and earning potential when making your decision.

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Detailed Comparison

Metric	Architect	General Contractor
Category	Architecture	Trades
Median Salary	$93,310	$101,480
Avg Initial Fee	$502	$359
Difficulty	Very High	Medium-High
Education	B.Arch or M.Arch + AXP (3740 hours)	Experience-based (2-5 years)
Exam	ARE (6 divisions)	State Contractor Exam
Time to License	8-11 years	3-6 years
Renewal Period	Every 2 yr	Every 2 yr
CE Hours / Cycle	24 hrs	14 hrs
States Requiring	53 of 53	41 of 53

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pays more: Architect or General Contractor?

General Contractor has a higher median salary at $101,480 per year, compared to $93,310 for Architect — a difference of $8,170 annually.

Is it harder to get licensed as a Architect or a General Contractor?

Which license costs more: Architect or General Contractor?

Architect has a higher average initial fee of $502, while General Contractor averages $359 — a difference of $143.

Do all states require a license for Architect and General Contractor?

Architect requires licensing in 53 of 53 jurisdictions, while General Contractor requires it in 41 of 53 jurisdictions. Requirements vary significantly by state.

Which career is faster to enter: Architect or General Contractor?

Architect typically takes 8-11 years from start to licensure, while General Contractor takes 3-6 years. Consider both the time investment and earning potential when making your decision.