Welcome to the 2026 edition of NCARB by the Numbers!
Each year, NCARB by the Numbers provides exclusive insights into key data shaping architectural regulation. Now in its 15th edition, NCARB by the Numbers continues to offer a thoughtful look at trends on the path to licensure and beyond thanks to clear, reliable data from our members, Record holders, and the architecture community.
We are constantly evolving this report to explore new facets of our programs and the profession, and this year’s report is no different. For the past several years, NCARB has explored opportunities to expand access to licensure through our Pathways to Practice initiative—with an end goal of creating a competency-based approach to licensure that provides more options for candidates while maintaining the level of rigor needed to protect the public. As Pathways to Practice nears its culmination, NCARB has implemented several adjustments to our programs designed to align with a more accessible licensure process: the 2025 replacement of the reporting policy for the Architectural Experience Program® (AXP®), the 2023 retirement of the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®) rolling clock policy, the 2022 launch of free ARE practice exams, and more.
In this year’s edition, you’ll see the impact of those changes, as well as an entirely new section dedicated to exploring insights related to Pathways to Practice. When NCARB revised the AXP’s reporting policy in November 2025, over 20,000 candidates received additional AXP credit, and nearly 800 became AXP complete. The average time to complete the AXP fell by 6 months in 2025, and the average time to complete the ARE fell by 4 months. The overall time to licensure fell to 12.3 years—the lowest median time NCARB has seen in many years.
The licensure candidate pipeline held steady following its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, with just over 39,000 candidates actively working to become architects. The architect population has recovered from last year’s dip, with over 123,000 individuals licensed across the United States.
For NCARB and our member licensing boards, the information contained in NCARB by the Numbers shines a light on the overall health, trajectory, and makeup of the licensure pipeline. By closely monitoring data coming out of our community of members, customers, and volunteers, we have been able to drive strategic decisions that are shaping the future of regulation and the architecture profession. We look forward to sharing how the information gathered in NCARB by the Numbers, as well as insight from our members, customers, volunteers, and the public, continues to shape the regulatory landscape in architecture and beyond.
Michael J. Armstrong
Chief Executive Officer
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards