Gitnux/Report 2026

Architectural Design Industry Statistics

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Architectural Design Industry Statistics
Samuel NorbergWritten by Samuel Norberg·Fact-checked by Maya Johansson
Published
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Gitnux editors write the brief first: the topic, the inclusion rules, and the frame for what belongs.

02Source Research

Agents search the published record and log every extracted figure back to the passage it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 39 days

01 Industry overview

The architectural design industry at a glance

The global architectural services market was valued at $411.7 billion in 2025, while U.S. firms face weak near-term demand, with the AIA billings index at 44.7 in September 2026.

$411.7B[47]
Global market size, 2025
5.0%[47]
Global forecast CAGR, 2026–33
126,380[16]
U.S. architects employed, 2025
37.4%[47]
Asia-Pacific market share, 2025
Market size
The global architectural services market was valued at $411.7 billion in 2025. Grand View Research forecasts the market at $430.9 billion in 2026.[47]
Forecast & CAGR
The market is forecast to reach $605.6 billion by 2033, representing a 5.0% compound annual growth rate from 2026 to 2033. Growth is linked primarily to construction investment and demand for design, project-management and consulting services.[47]
Market share & regions
Asia-Pacific held the largest regional share at 37.4% of global revenue in 2025. The region's position reflects strong construction activity and demand for architectural and related design services.[47]
Segmentation
The market is segmented by service type, including engineering services, interior design services and urban-planning services, and by end use, including education, government, residential and hospitality. These categories indicate that architectural firms compete across both building design and adjacent professional services.[47]
Key players & concentration
The U.S. market remains fragmented by firm count: the 2022 Economic Census recorded 21,258 firms and 22,644 establishments in architectural services. At the top end, Gensler reported $1.95 billion in 2025 architecture revenue, ahead of Perkins&Will at $795 million and HKS at $733 million.[48][13]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Demand is being supported by construction investment, sustainability requirements and digital delivery, including BIM and AI-enabled workflows. Near-term conditions are difficult in the U.S.: the AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index fell to 44.7 in September 2026, below the 50-point growth threshold, while newly signed design contracts scored 43.7.[47][1]
Consumer behavior & competition
Clients are increasingly seeking integrated design, engineering, planning and project-management capabilities rather than standalone architectural services. In September 2026, inquiries for new projects rose to 53.2 on the AIA index, but design-contract value fell to 43.7, indicating interest in projects was stronger than conversion into signed work.[1][47]
M&A
M&A activity continued in 2026 as larger platforms expanded geographically and by specialty. Corgan acquired Duda|Paine Architects in September 2026, while CannonDesign acquired Ennead Architects in April 2026; Ennead had nearly 1,600 staff across 20 offices.[49][50]
Regulation
Architects generally enter the profession through a three-part licensing pathway: an architecture degree, relevant paid experience and completion of a licensing examination. U.S. employment of architects is projected to grow 4% from 2025 to 2035, with about 6,900 openings annually, reflecting both regulation-driven entry requirements and replacement demand.[16]
Latest news
The latest AIA/Deltek reading available before November 10, 2026 reported that U.S. architecture-firm billings weakened to 44.7 in September 2026. Commercial and industrial firms recorded a 50.9 sector index, while multifamily residential firms recorded 42.9.[1]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Architectural Design Industry

The leading companies in the architectural design industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 10, 2026 · Next review December 10, 2026

Verdict

Gensler leads Gitnux's 2026 architectural design ranking with an Overall score of 9.4, with $1.95 billion in 2025 architecture revenue, tied to reported architecture revenue scale. Foster + Partners is the runner-up at 8.9, backed by 54.8% revenue growth and 15.1% operating margin in its reported figures.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in architecture and design

    Gensler

    US

    Ranked #1 · 9.4 · Architecture and design

    Why we picked it: It spans global architecture, design and planning, with $1.95 billion in 2025 architecture revenue.

    See in ranking ↓Visit gensler.com ↗

  2. #2 overall

    Foster + Partners

    GB

    Ranked #2 · 8.9 · Architecture and design

    Why we picked it: Its global architecture, urbanism and design focus is paired with 54.8% revenue growth and 15.1% margin.

    See in ranking ↓Visit fosterandpartners.com ↗

  3. #3 overall

    Stantec

    CA

    Ranked #3 · 8.7 · Architecture and design

    Why we picked it: It expanded its buildings practice by acquiring Page’s architecture and engineering employees.

    See in ranking ↓Visit stantec.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. No other segment places in the top 5, so picks 2 and 3 follow rank.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the architectural design industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Gensler

Architecture and design · US

9.4
2

Foster + Partners

Architecture and design · GB

8.9
3

Stantec

Architecture and design · CA

8.7
4

DLR Group

Architecture and design · US

8.6
5

Bjarke Ingels Group

Architecture and design · DK

8.5
6

Populous

Sports, entertainment and venue architecture · US

8.5
7

AECOM

Architecture, engineering and infrastructure design · US

8.3
8

Corgan

Architecture, interiors and planning · US

8.3
9

Nikken Sekkei

Architecture, urban design and planning · JP

8.2
10

CannonDesign

Architecture, planning and design · US

8.1

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 10, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Top 10 companies in the architectural design industry. In Architectural Design Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/architectural-design-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Projection

Employment in architectural services (NAICS 541310) (United States)

Employment in architectural services (NAICS 541310) grew from 204.3 thousands of jobs in 2021 to 217.9 thousands of jobs in 2025.

204
Start
+1.62%
CAGR · 4y
218
Projected
20212025
source-verifiedfred.stlouisfed.org2025

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

AI adoption and concern coexist in practice: 74% of U.S. architecture firms used AI in day-to-day operations in 2025, while 78% of U.S. professionals reported AI concerns in 2024.

AI in the architectural design industry

  • 78% of U.S. architectural professionals wanted to learn more about AI’s potential in the industry in 2024.[1]
  • 65% of UK architects expected AI to have an increasingly positive effect on construction-sector productivity in 2025.[2]
  • 78% of U.S. architectural professionals reported concerns about AI in 2024.[1]
  • 59% of UK architect practices used AI in at least some work in 2025, up from 41% in 2024.[2]
  • 74% of U.S. architecture firms used artificial intelligence in day-to-day operations in 2025.[1]
  • 53.1% of U.S. architectural professionals had experimented with AI, while 6.1% used it regularly for work in 2024.[1]

Digital Transformation in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 35.51% of EU professional, scientific and technical enterprises using AI applied it to business-administration or management processes in 2025.[3]
  • 40.4% of EU enterprises in professional, scientific and technical activities used at least one AI technology in 2025.[3]
  • 55% of business-services CEOs identified keeping pace with technology and AI transformation as their greatest concern in PwC’s 2025 global CEO survey.[4]
  • 51% of U.S. technology executives reported no increase in performance or profitability from digital-transformation investments during the previous two years.[5]

Technology Adoption in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 22.32% of EU professional, scientific and technical enterprises using AI applied it to research and development or innovation activities in 2025.[3]
  • 27.33% of EU professional, scientific and technical enterprises using AI applied it to production processes in 2025.[3]
  • 18.55% of EU professional, scientific and technical enterprises using AI applied it to ICT security in 2025.[3]
  • 30.87% of EU professional, scientific and technical enterprises using AI applied it to accounting, controlling or finance management in 2025.[3]

Cloud Computing in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 90.7% of Australian professional, scientific and technical enterprises used cloud computing services in 2022.[6]
  • 91.2% of Finnish professional, scientific and technical enterprises used cloud computing services in 2023.[6]
  • 77.7% of Dutch professional, scientific and technical enterprises used cloud computing services in 2023.[6]
  • 80.4% of Danish professional, scientific and technical enterprises used cloud computing services in 2023.[6]

Big Data in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 45.4% of Finnish professional, scientific and technical enterprises conducted big-data analysis in 2023.[6]
  • 57.5% of Dutch professional, scientific and technical enterprises conducted big-data analysis in 2023.[6]
  • 46.8% of Swedish professional, scientific and technical enterprises conducted big-data analysis in 2023.[6]
  • 47.5% of German professional, scientific and technical enterprises conducted big-data analysis in 2023.[6]

IoT in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 36.3% of Irish professional, scientific and technical enterprises used Internet-of-Things technologies in 2021.[6]
  • 35.6% of Swedish professional, scientific and technical enterprises used Internet-of-Things technologies in 2021.[6]
  • 42.6% of Austrian professional, scientific and technical enterprises used Internet-of-Things technologies in 2021.[6]
  • 52.0% of South Korean professional, scientific and technical enterprises used Internet-of-Things technologies in 2022.[6]

Innovation in the architectural design industry

  • 31% of large U.S. architecture firms worked on at least one international project in 2023.[1]
  • 10% of U.S. architecture firms worked on at least one international project in 2023.[1]
  • 66% of U.S. architecture firms engaged in practice-relevant research in 2017.[1]
  • 75% of U.S. architecture firms engaged in practice-relevant research in 2021.[1]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Leaders’ usage sits behind experimentation: 30% of U.S. leaders actively used AI and modeling behavior in August 2026, and 15% had a dedicated AI budget.

Business intelligence in the architectural design industry

  • 30% of U.S. architecture-firm leaders reported actively using artificial intelligence and modeling its behavior in August 2026.[1]
  • 48% of U.S. architecture-firm leaders reported actively engaging with artificial intelligence in August 2026.[1]
  • 15% of U.S. architecture-firm leaders reported having a dedicated artificial-intelligence budget in August 2026.[1]
  • 22% of architecture firms using artificial intelligence reported substantial productivity gains in August 2026.[1]
  • 45% of architecture professionals reported using grammar or text analytics in 2024.[1]
  • 79% of architecture professionals reported using chatbots, the most common artificial-intelligence application, in 2024.[1]

Data analytics in the architectural design industry

  • 58% of U.S. architecture-firm leaders had no plans to implement big data or data-science technology over the following decade in September 2023.[1]
  • 25% of architecture professionals reported using transcription or meeting-assistant tools in 2024.[1]
  • 44% of U.S. architecture-firm leaders had no plans to implement artificial intelligence for firm-operations applications over the following decade in September 2023.[1]
  • 45% of large U.S. architecture firms planned to implement artificial intelligence for design-related applications within two years of September 2023.[1]
  • 78% of architecture professionals reported concerns about artificial intelligence in 2024.[1]
  • 60% of large U.S. architecture firms planned to implement artificial intelligence for firm-operations applications within the following decade in September 2023.[1]

Data Quality in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 67% of supply management organizations said their data quality was better or significantly better than two years earlier in 2024.[7]
  • 23% of supply management firms spent at least 21% of their time cleaning data in 2024.[7]
  • 50% of organizations identified data-quality issues as the biggest challenge affecting their data-integration projects in 2024.[8]
  • 95% of enterprise companies with at least $1 billion in revenue had experienced a data-quality issue directly affecting business outcomes in 2024.[9]
  • 87% of enterprise data leaders said traditional rules-based approaches to data quality did not scale to current needs in 2024.[9]
  • 49% of supply management organizations reported that their data quality was good or excellent in 2024, based on a survey of more than 121 respondents.[7]

Data Governance in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 71% of global organizations reported having a data-governance program in 2024, up from 60% in 2023.[8]
  • 33% of North American organizations had a formal data-governance organization in place in 2024.[10]
  • 81% of supply management organizations found their data-governance program useful in 2024.[7]
  • 32% of organizations in the 2024 governance study had a formal governance organization in place, while 68% had none.[10]
  • 18.3% of organizations used a data-governance or catalog solution as part of their governance program in 2024.[10]
  • 61% of organizations had a dedicated data-governance function in 2024, according to a survey of more than 121 supply management professionals.[7]

KPIs in the architectural design industry

  • 2.90 was the cited average effective multiplier for architecture and engineering firms in the referenced Deltek survey.[11]
  • 135% was the cited average overhead rate for architecture and engineering firms in the referenced Deltek survey.[11]
  • 58.9% was the median utilization rate for U.S. and Canadian architecture and engineering firms in fiscal year 2025.[11]
  • 61.1% was the median utilization rate for U.S. and Canadian architecture and engineering firms in the prior fiscal year to 2025.[11]
  • 65% was the approximate industry-average direct-labor utilization rate cited for architecture and engineering firms.[11]
  • Client satisfaction, cash flow and the P/E ratio were identified as the leading KPIs measured by architecture firms in Monograph’s 2021 report.[12]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Client work mixes institutional and new construction; U.S. architecture firms recorded $104.1B in gross billings in 2023 and institutional projects were 53% of billings.

Growth in the architectural design industry

  • U.S. architecture firms recorded $104.1 billion in gross billings in 2023.[1]
  • HKS reported $733 million in architecture revenue based on 2025 firm data.[13]
  • Perkins&Will reported $795 million in architecture revenue based on 2025 firm data.[13]
  • RIBA projected overseas work for UK practices to exceed £1 billion and reach one-third of total practice revenue by 2035.[2]
  • Gensler reported $1.95 billion in architecture revenue based on 2025 firm data.[13]

Differentiation in the architectural design industry

  • 53% was the average share of U.S. architecture-firm billings from institutional projects in 2023.[1]
  • 33% of U.S. architecture firms used artificial intelligence in day-to-day work in 2023.[1]

Mergers and acquisitions in the architectural design industry

  • CannonDesign entered Asia through its acquisition of Ennead in April 2025.[13]
  • Populous acquired OJB Landscape Architecture in May 2025.[13]
  • WSP reported $90 million in dedicated architecture revenue after its 2025 ranking update.[13]
  • Johnson Mirmiran & Thompson acquired Clark Nexsen in May 2025.[13]

Strategic partnerships in the architectural design industry

  • 35% of surveyed architecture professionals worked at firms with at least 50 employees in 2024.[1]
  • 26% of surveyed architecture professionals were technology users only in 2024.[1]
  • 31% of surveyed architecture professionals were final technology decision-makers in 2024.[1]
  • 36% of surveyed architecture professionals were licensed architects in 2024.[1]
  • 51% of surveyed architecture professionals were firm partners or principals in 2024.[1]
  • 30% of surveyed architecture professionals worked at firms with 10 to 49 employees in 2024.[1]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Hiring and mobility are shaped by credential patterns and remote work: 17% of U.S. firms offered full-time remote work in 2024, while turnover was 4% at small firms and 10% at large firms.

Hiring in the architectural design industry

  • 26% of midsize U.S. architecture firms hired staff without a professional architecture degree in 2024.[1]
  • 817 U.S. architecture firms contributed compensation and benefits data to the 2025 AIA survey.[1]
  • More than 50% of U.S. architecture firms hired architecture-school students for part-time work in 2024.[1]
  • 29% of large U.S. architecture firms hired staff without a professional architecture degree in 2024.[1]
  • 27% of small U.S. architecture firms hired staff without a professional architecture degree in 2024.[1]

Employee retention in the architectural design industry

  • 17% of U.S. architecture firms offered full-time remote work in 2024.[1]
  • Less than 50% of U.S. architecture firms reported transparent promotion and compensation practices in 2024.[1]
  • 4% was the 2024 turnover rate at small U.S. architecture firms.[1]
  • 10% was the 2024 turnover rate at large U.S. architecture firms.[1]
  • Less than 25% of U.S. architecture firms had employee-retention plans in 2024.[1]

Remote Work in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • About 45% of U.S. professional and business-services workers worked remotely during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[14]
  • 37.21% was the average share of paid workdays performed from home by U.S. professional and business-services employees in January 2025.[15]
  • 62.8% of U.S. professional and business-services employees who could work at home did so during 2024–2025, while 66.0% could work at home.[16]
  • 54% of U.S. professional-services firms reported having at least one paid work-from-home employee in November 2024–January 2025.[17]

Hybrid Work in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 61% of U.S. employees with remote-capable jobs preferred hybrid work in November 2025, compared with 33% preferring fully remote work.[18]
  • Across U.S. professional and business services, 38% of full-time employees worked hybrid schedules during January–April 2025.[19]
  • Across U.S. professional and business services, 22% of full-time employees worked fully from home during January–April 2025.[19]
  • 27% of U.S. full-time employees worked in a hybrid arrangement in 2025, compared with 12% fully remote and 61% fully on-site.[20]
  • Across U.S. professional and business services, 39% of full-time employees worked fully onsite during January–April 2025.[19]

Upskilling in the architectural design industry

  • 48% of U.S. architecture-firm leaders rated professional development for staff as a very important benefit of AIA membership in 2024.[1]
  • At least 75% of U.S. architecture firms with more than five employees offered technology and graphics training in 2024.[1]
  • More than 50% of U.S. architecture-firm employees had access to direct professional-development funding in 2024.[1]
  • 40% of U.S. architecture-firm leaders rated professional development for staff as a somewhat important benefit of AIA membership in 2024.[1]

Employee Engagement in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 33% of U.S. employees were engaged at work in 2023, while 16% were actively disengaged.[18]
  • 32% of U.S. employees were engaged at work in 2024, while 17% were actively disengaged.[18]
  • 34% of U.S. employees were engaged at work in 2022, while 16% were actively disengaged.[18]
  • 32% of U.S. employees were engaged at work in 2025, while 17% were actively disengaged.[18]

DEI in the architectural design industry

  • 31% of U.S. architects were women in 2023, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data cited by AIA.[1]
  • 46% of U.S. architecture licensure candidates were women in 2023.[21]
  • 14.9% of AIA architect members identified as underrepresented racial or ethnic groups in 2024.[1]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Customer experience in the architectural design industry

  • 39% of architects ranked positive impact on the built environment among the top three indicators of project success in the United States in 2022.[22]
  • 56% of architects ranked on-time project delivery among the top three indicators of project success in the United States in 2022.[22]
  • 80% of architects ranked client or owner satisfaction as the single most important indicator of project success in the United States in 2022.[22]
  • 14% of architects ranked minimal requests for information and changes among the top three indicators of project success in the United States in 2022.[22]
  • 47% of AEC firms reported having a formalized client-experience strategy in the 2025 industry study.[23]

Customer retention in the architectural design industry

  • A 5-percentage-point increase in client retention, from 75% to 80%, was estimated to preserve about $2.5 million in annual recurring revenue for an AEC firm.[23]
  • More than 20% of AEC clients reportedly did not return despite on-time project delivery in the 2025 industry study.[23]
  • 68% of architecture clients reportedly preferred firms known for strong communication and relationships rather than technical skill alone in 2025 AEC research.[23]
  • 41% of new commissions for RIBA Chartered Practices came from repeat business involving returning or ongoing clients in 2025.[2]
  • 7% of new commissions for RIBA Chartered Practices came from framework agreements in 2025.[2]

Customer acquisition in the architectural design industry

  • 199 proposals was the average number submitted by architecture firms during the 12 months covered by the 2025 AEC Inspire Report.[24]
  • 49% was the average dollar-weighted project hit rate reported by architecture firms in the United States during the six months ending January 2024.[1]
  • 53% was the architecture-firm bid win rate reported in the 2025 AEC Inspire Report.[24]
  • 33% of architecture firms considered outbound business-development and sales efforts very important for growth over the following three years.[1]
  • 128 proposals was the average number submitted by architecture firms during the comparable 2024 period in the AEC Inspire data.[24]

Customer loyalty in the architectural design industry

  • 78% of AEC buyers viewed seamless client experience as a top decision factor when choosing a firm in 2025 research.[23]
  • 89% of architecture-firm respondents agreed that relationships matter more than marketing for winning new business.[1]
  • 74 was the reported repeat-client rate for architecture principals in the 2026 AEC client-experience benchmark summary.[23]
  • Almost two-thirds of new commissions for RIBA Chartered Practices came from repeat business or word-of-mouth reputation in 2025.[2]
  • 86% of architecture firms considered existing clients very important to future growth over the following three years.[1]

Lead generation in the architectural design industry

  • 12% of architecture and engineering firms used direct mail as a marketing technique in 2022.[25]
  • 19% of architecture and engineering firms used video marketing as a marketing technique in 2022.[25]
  • 3% of architecture and engineering firms used hard-copy newsletters as a marketing technique in 2022.[25]
  • 41% of architecture and engineering firms used public relations as a marketing technique in 2022.[25]
  • 46% of architecture and engineering firms used leads generated from their website as a marketing technique in 2022.[25]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Marketing in the architectural design industry

  • 6.6% was the average share of billable hours that U.S. architecture firms devoted to non-compensated services used to market to prospective clients in January 2024.[1]
  • 16% of U.S. architecture firms reported devoting 10% to 14% of staff time to non-compensated prospective-client marketing in January 2024.[1]
  • 56% of architecture and engineering firms used email marketing as a marketing technique in 2022.[25]
  • 64% of architecture and engineering firms used trade shows or exhibits as a marketing technique in 2022.[25]
  • 64% of architecture and engineering firms used client-specific marketing as a marketing technique in 2022.[25]

Digital marketing in the architectural design industry

  • Fewer than 20% of architecture firms reported having CRM or ERP systems in the cited AIA study.[1]
  • 76% of AEC firms reported using artificial intelligence in day-to-day marketing and business development in 2026.[26]
  • 73% of architecture and engineering firms expected client-specific marketing to be important in five years in the 2022 study.[25]
  • 58% of AEC firms ranked firm websites among their most effective marketing channels in 2026.[26]
  • 43% of architecture-firm respondents agreed that digital or social marketing was important to them.[1]

Branding in the architectural design industry

  • 36% of AEC firms used outside marketing consultants for public media and relations in 2026.[26]
  • 47% of AEC firms used outside marketing consultants for video production in 2026.[26]
  • 36% of AEC firms used outside marketing consultants for strategic marketing planning in 2026.[26]
  • 62% of AEC firms cited social media as one of their most effective marketing channels in 2026.[26]
  • 9% of new commissions for RIBA Chartered Practices came from marketing, advertising, and search engines in 2025.[2]

Social media in the architectural design industry

  • 89% of architecture and engineering firms used social-media posts on platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook in 2022.[25]
  • 43% of architecture-firm respondents agreed that digital or social marketing was important to them in the cited AIA study.[1]
  • 62% of AEC firms ranked social media among their most effective marketing channels in 2026.[26]
  • 70% of architecture and engineering firms expected social-media posts to remain important marketing techniques in five years in the 2022 study.[25]
  • 25% of architecture firms with fewer than five employees used Facebook in the cited AIA study.[1]

Influencer Marketing in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 78% of B2B influencer-marketing practitioners identify brand awareness and lead generation as their joint top challenges, based on Q1 2026 research.[27]
  • 86% of B2B influencer-marketing practitioners and creators prefer co-creating content with brands rather than amplifying finished brand content, based on Q1 2026 research.[27]
  • 44% of B2B influencer-marketing practitioners say finding the right talent is their single biggest collaboration obstacle, based on Q1 2026 research.[27]
  • 74% of B2B influencers use artificial-intelligence tools to enhance content creation, based on Q1 2026 research.[27]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Execution tooling is widespread, but design time is constrained: 69% use time-tracking or resource-management tools in 2026, and one-third of firms spend less than half their working day on actual design work.

Process optimization in the architectural design industry

  • 69% of architecture firms use time-tracking or resource-management tools in 2026, and 87% of those firms report benefits.[28]
  • One-third of architecture firms spend less than half their working day on actual design work in 2026.[28]
  • More than 80% of architecture firms use financial and invoicing software in 2026.[28]
  • More than 80% of architecture firms use BIM software in 2026, according to a survey of practices across Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and other markets.[28]
  • 5% of architecture firms do not track project profitability in real time in 2026, down from 30% in 2025.[28]

Operational efficiency in the architectural design industry

  • 61.9% was the average direct labor utilization rate by labor dollars among surveyed architectural firms in 2024.[29]
  • Only 25% of architecture firms track utilization consistently in 2026.[28]
  • 64.0% was the average direct labor utilization rate by hours among surveyed architectural firms in 2024.[29]
  • $227,188 was the average net fee income per employee among surveyed architectural firms in 2024.[29]
  • $22.75 was the average profit per direct hour among surveyed architectural firms in 2024.[29]

Quality management in the architectural design industry

  • 14% of billable hours were dedicated to pro bono work by U.S. architecture firms that reported such activity in 2023.[1]
  • 21% of U.S. architecture firms performed pro bono work for nonprofit or public entities serving social needs or the public good in 2023.[1]
  • 27% of small U.S. architecture firms used artificial intelligence in day-to-day work in 2023.[1]
  • 76% of U.S. architecture firms conducted practice-relevant research in 2023.[1]
  • 20% of nonresidential construction contract value handled by U.S. architecture firms in 2023 came from buildings designed to meet or exceed a performance, sustainability or health rating standard.[1]

Supply chain in the architectural design industry

  • 0.4% of architecture firms identified supply-chain issues or materials availability as the most significant cause of recently delayed, stalled or canceled projects in the January 2026 survey.[30]
  • 3.0% of architecture firms identified material prices as the most significant cause of recently delayed, stalled or canceled projects in the January 2026 survey.[30]
  • 7.5% of architecture firms identified contractor bids that were too high or schedules that were too long as the most significant cause of recently delayed, stalled or canceled projects in January 2026.[30]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 28.8% of EU enterprises sourcing abroad sourced information and communication technology services internationally during 2021–2023.[3]
  • 47.5% of EU enterprises sourcing abroad sourced administrative and management functions internationally during 2021–2023.[3]
  • 39% of EU enterprises sourcing abroad outsourced business functions to external providers during 2021–2023, while 72% used affiliated-group insourcing.[3]
  • 60% of EU business-services enterprises sourcing abroad were in the business-services sector, compared with 40% in industry and construction, during 2021–2023.[3]
  • 29% of U.S. CPA firms responding to the 2025 National MAP Survey utilized offshoring, rising to 74% among firms with at least $10 million in net client fees.[31]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Fee realization and working capital remain visibility risks: 56% of firms manage resource allocation manually in 2026, and 56% receive payment more than 30 days after invoicing.

Pricing strategy in the architectural design industry

  • 3% is the contingency that AIA guidance says may be appropriate as a percentage of an architecture firm’s fee to account for project conditions.[1]
  • 77% of architecture firms said client service and responsiveness were their biggest differentiators in 2026.[28]
  • 5% of architecture firms said competitive pricing was the biggest factor in maintaining long-term client relationships in 2026.[28]
  • 42% of architecture firms used hourly-rate pricing regularly in March 2024, while 50% used it occasionally.[1]
  • 70% of architecture firms used stipulated-sum or fixed-fee pricing regularly in March 2024, while 18% used it occasionally.[1]

Cost reduction in the architectural design industry

  • 49% of architecture firms did not track realization rates or were unsure of them in 2026, limiting visibility into fee leakage and write-offs.[28]
  • 56% of architecture firms were still managing resource allocation manually or without a formal process in 2026, creating an identified opportunity for administrative cost reduction.[28]
  • The median overhead rate for surveyed architecture firms was 160.0% in 2024, up from 153.5% in 2023.[32]
  • Architecture firms in the ASHB survey recorded a 15-percentage-point increase in overhead rate in 2024.[32]
  • 56% of architecture firms received payment more than 30 days after invoicing in 2026, increasing working-capital costs.[28]

Profitability in the architectural design industry

  • 32.8% was the highest reported profit as a percentage of net fee income among surveyed architectural firms in 2024.[29]
  • −16.3% was the lowest reported profit or loss as a percentage of net fee income among surveyed architectural firms in 2024.[29]
  • RIBA Chartered Practices experienced a 2% overall decline in profitability in 2024.[2]
  • 9.0% was the average profit reported by architecture firms with annual billings below $250,000 in the 2024 Prairie architecture and engineering survey.[33]
  • 13.2% was the average profitability of U.S. architecture firms as a share of net billings in 2023.[1]

Financial planning in the architectural design industry

  • Most architecture firms were falling short of their target profit margin in 2026.[28]
  • 62% of large U.S. architecture firms with 50 or more employees had a business-continuity plan in 2023.[1]
  • 87 days was the average accounts-receivable collection period among surveyed architectural firms in 2024.[29]
  • 84% of large U.S. architecture firms with 50 or more employees had an ownership-transition plan in 2023.[1]
  • 70% of architecture firms had three months or less of backlog in 2026.[28]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Renovation share stays high in billings: 45% of U.S. architecture-firm billings came from renovations, rehabilitations, retrofits, additions or historic preservation in 2023.

Product development in the architectural design industry

  • 6% of architecture professionals regularly used artificial intelligence for their jobs in 2024.[1]
  • 45% of U.S. architecture-firm billings came from renovations, rehabilitations, retrofits, additions or historic preservation in 2023.[1]
  • 20% of architecture firms were in the process of implementing artificial-intelligence solutions in 2024.[1]
  • 61% of large U.S. architecture firms reported using artificial intelligence in day-to-day work in 2023.[1]
  • 28% of architecture firms were integrating artificial intelligence into practice in 2024, including firms actively implementing or already using it.[1]

Product lifecycle in the architectural design industry

  • 55% of surveyed AEC companies reported covering briefing, concept, definition, feasibility or supplier activities in 2022.[34]
  • 83% of surveyed AEC companies reported that their work covered the design stage of the asset lifecycle in 2022.[34]
  • 20% of surveyed AEC companies reported covering decommissioning and demolition in the asset lifecycle in 2022.[34]
  • 68% of surveyed AEC companies reported covering build and commissioning in the asset lifecycle in 2022.[34]
  • 38% of surveyed AEC companies reported covering operation and maintenance in the asset lifecycle in 2022.[34]

After-sales in the architectural design industry

  • 80% of architects ranked client or owner satisfaction as the most important project-success indicator in 2022.[22]
  • 21% of U.S. architecture firms reported performing pro bono work for nonprofit or public entities serving social needs in 2023.[1]
  • 39% of architects ranked positive impact on the built environment among the top three indicators of project success in 2022.[22]
  • 72% of architects ranked on-budget project delivery among the top three indicators of project success in 2022.[22]
  • 14% of billable hours at U.S. architecture firms were dedicated to pro bono work in 2023.[1]

Value proposition in the architectural design industry

  • 53% of U.S. architecture-firm billings came from institutional projects in 2023.[1]
  • 199 proposals were sent on average by architecture firms during the 12 months covered by the 2025 AEC Inspire survey.[24]
  • 52% of U.S. architecture-firm gross billings came from new construction projects in 2023.[1]
  • 96% of architects placed client or owner satisfaction among their top three measures of project success in 2022.[22]
  • 25% of architects placed profitability for their organization among their top three measures of project success in 2022.[22]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Sustainability planning is common among larger firms: 62% of large U.S. architecture firms had a sustainability or climate-action plan in 2021.

Sustainability in the architectural design industry

  • 62% of large U.S. architecture firms had a sustainability or climate-action plan in 2021, compared with 21% of midsize and 9% of small firms.[22]
  • 62% of AIA Materials Pledge signatory firms reported having a sustainability action plan that included material-selection strategies in 2025.[1]
  • 85% weighted-average predicted energy-use-intensity reduction was reported by LMN Architects in its 2030 Commitment reporting.[35]
  • 137 architecture firms reported predicted embodied-carbon intensities through the AIA 2030 Commitment in 2025.[1]
  • 427 architecture projects were predicted to achieve net-zero energy performance in the 2025 AIA 2030 Commitment dataset.[1]

ESG in the architectural design industry

  • 15% of AIA Materials Pledge signatory firms had a sustainability action plan in progress but not yet published in 2024.[1]
  • 6% of AIA Materials Pledge signatory firms reported having no sustainability action plan in 2024.[1]
  • 34% of AIA Materials Pledge signatory firms had a published sustainability action plan reflecting Materials Pledge actions in 2024.[1]
  • 29% of surveyed interior-design firms reported ESG as the client’s primary project goal in 2024.[36]
  • 33% of AIA Materials Pledge signatory firms had a published materials-related sustainability action plan in 2024.[1]

Ethics in the architectural design industry

  • 26 professional-conduct cases involving architects were opened by Victoria’s regulator in 2022–23.[37]
  • 49 professional-conduct cases involving architects were opened by Victoria’s regulator in 2023–24.[37]
  • 13 professional-conduct investigations were completed by Victoria’s architecture regulator in 2023–24.[37]
  • 27 proactive professional-conduct cases were initiated by Victoria’s architecture regulator in 2024–25.[37]
  • 59 professional-conduct cases involving architects were opened by Victoria’s regulator in 2024–25.[37]

CSR in the architectural design industry

  • 44% of U.S. architecture firms were multidisciplinary practices in 2021, expanding the profession’s service model.[22]
  • 14% of billable hours were dedicated to pro bono work by U.S. architecture firms reporting pro bono activity in 2023.[1]
  • 29% of U.S. architecture firms reported that serving underserved communities was a core firm mission in 2021.[22]
  • 21% of U.S. architecture firms reported doing pro bono work for a nonprofit or public entity serving social needs or the public good in 2023.[1]
  • 10% of projects at U.S. architecture firms served underserved communities in 2021.[22]

Circular economy in the architectural design industry

  • 34% of AIA Materials Pledge signatory firms had published plans reflecting the pledge’s material-impact actions in 2024.[1]
  • 62% of AIA Materials Pledge signatory firms had sustainability action plans including material-selection strategies in 2025.[1]
  • 33% of AIA Materials Pledge signatory firms had published general materials-related sustainability plans in 2024.[1]
  • 537 projects covering 59.2 million gross square feet reported materials and circularity-related metrics to the AIA Materials Pledge in 2025.[1]
  • 2,064 product records were reported by 63 architecture and design firms through the AIA Materials Pledge in 2025.[1]

Carbon footprint in the architectural design industry

  • 458 architecture firms reported project-performance data to the AIA 2030 Commitment for 2025.[1]
  • 48% predicted energy-use-intensity reduction was reported across 24,286 architecture projects in the AIA 2030 Commitment dataset for 2025.[1]
  • 427 architecture projects were predicted to achieve net-zero energy performance in the AIA 2030 Commitment dataset for 2025.[1]
  • 25% predicted energy-use-intensity reduction was reported by LMN Architects in its first year as an Architecture 2030 Commitment signatory.[35]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

International work is limited for smaller U.S. firms: 7% of small U.S. firms worked on international projects in 2023, versus 31% of large U.S. firms.

Globalization in the architectural design industry

  • 7% of small U.S. architecture firms worked on international projects in 2023.[1]
  • 10% of UK Chartered Practices’ international-revenue value came from Asia in 2024.[2]
  • 12% of UK Chartered Practices’ international-revenue value came from North America in 2024.[2]
  • Perkins&Will reported $132.60 million in international architectural revenue in 2024.[13]
  • 31% of large U.S. architecture firms worked on international projects in 2023.[1]

Stakeholder management in the architectural design industry

  • 57% of surveyed architecture professionals worked at multidisciplinary firms in 2024.[1]
  • 21% of U.S. architecture firms performed pro bono work for nonprofit or public entities serving social needs in 2023.[1]
  • 32% of surveyed architecture professionals primarily served institutional clients in 2024.[1]
  • 19% of surveyed architecture professionals primarily served single-family residential clients in 2024.[1]
  • 23% of surveyed architecture professionals primarily served commercial clients in 2024.[1]

Key questions about the architectural design industry

What is the current market size for architectural services?
The global architectural services market was valued at $411.7 billion in 2025, with Grand View Research forecasting $430.9 billion in 2026.
How fast does the architectural services market grow after 2026?
The market is forecast to reach $605.6 billion by 2033, a 5.0% compound annual growth rate from 2026 to 2033.
Which companies lead the architectural design industry?
Gensler leads Gitnux's 2026 architectural design ranking with an Overall score of 9.4, with $1.95 billion in 2025 architecture revenue, tied to reported architecture revenue scale. Foster + Partners is the runner-up at 8.9, backed by 54.8% revenue growth and 15.1% operating margin in its reported figures.
What technology shifts are showing up in architecture work in 2024–2026?
AI adoption is widespread: 74% of U.S. firms used AI in day-to-day operations in 2025, while 30% of U.S. leaders actively used AI and modeling behavior in August 2026.
How fragmented is the architectural services market in the U.S. by firm count?
In 2022, the U.S. Economic Census recorded 21,258 architectural services firms and 22,644 establishments.
How is near-term U.S. demand trending in 2026?
U.S. demand was weak in September 2026: the AIA billings index fell to 44.7, below the 50-point growth threshold.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Architectural Design Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/architectural-design-industry-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Architectural Design Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 10 Nov 2026, https://gitnux.org/architectural-design-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Architectural Design Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/architectural-design-industry-statistics.

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