Washington, DC—The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards’ (NCARB) has released the 2026 edition of its annual data report, NCARB by the Numbers. The report, which is based on data from the 2025 calendar year, highlights the impact of changes the organization has made to align with a more accessible licensure process. The average time to complete the Architectural Experience Program® (AXP®) fell by 6 months in 2025, and the average time to complete the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®) fell by 4 months. Most significantly, the overall time to licensure fell to 12.3 years—the lowest median time NCARB has seen in many years.

Explore NCARB by the Numbers

In addition to the decreased time to licensure, the 2026 edition highlights several recent trends related to the overall health of the licensure pipeline. Key findings from the 2026 NCARB by the Numbers include:

  • The number of licensed architects grew by 6% in 2025—but the pool of candidates pursuing licensure fell slightly. Despite the 1% decrease in candidates working toward licensure, NCARB has still seen high levels of active candidates over the past several years. 
  • The average individual who earned a license in 2025 took 12.3 years to do so. The total time to complete the path to licensure—including earning a degree, completing the experience program, and passing the exam—fell by 3% or approximately 4 months.
  • NCARB has seen sustained growth in gender equity and racial diversity across licensure candidate stages. In 2025, nearly half of all licensure candidates (49%) identified as a person of color. Women now represent 47% of licensure candidates, including 53% of new Record holders, and these increases are becoming more visible in the profession as candidates advance toward licensure.
  • The proportion of candidates pursuing licensure through alternative Pathways to Practice is growing. In 2025, 13% of new architects chose to earn additional experience in lieu of earning a degree from a program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), up 2 percentage points from 2024.
  • In 2025, NCARB saw the time to complete the exam fall to a record low of just 2 years—4 months faster than in 2024 and the lowest average completion time seen in the history of the computerized ARE. Over 1,000 candidates who finished the exam in 2025 did so in 12 months or less.

The 2026 edition also includes new insights into NCARB’s Pathways to Practice initiative. NCARB’s data shows that the current “single path” approach to the licensure process creates a variety of pinch points that can impact candidates based on a range of factors, including their career, education, and socio-economic background. By offering more flexibility in how candidates demonstrate their competency, NCARB can reduce the impact of these impediments and ensure that individuals of all educational and career backgrounds have a pathway to architectural practice, while still 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,” said NCARB CEO Michael Armstrong. “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.”

Through NCARB by the Numbers, NCARB ensures that the architecture and regulatory communities have access to clear, concise data that can guide programmatic and policy changes. Moving forward, NCARB will continue to use this data to drive the strategic evolution of its programs and services as it seeks to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

To read the full report and explore interactive data charts, visit www.ncarb.org/nbtn. 

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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. Connect with NCARB on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.