Australian architecture & design industry shows strong recovery, faces diversity challenges

A new report by Bespoke Careers reveals significant shifts in Australia’s architecture and design industry, covering workplace attendance trends, salary satisfaction, and diversity concerns.

The 2025 Architecture and Design Market Report provides a comprehensive snapshot of industry confidence, hiring trends, and key workforce priorities.

Lindsay Urquhart, CEO of Bespoke Careers comments: “The past year has tested the resilience of businesses across architecture and design. Economic pressures, shifting workplace expectations, and an increasingly competitive talent market have all shaped today’s hiring landscape.”

Despite these challenges, market confidence is growing. Workplace expectations continue to evolve, but with greater stability in the market, businesses have more clarity to plan ahead.

Key findings:

• 1 in 5 practices increase in-office days
• Australians spend more time in-office than UK and US professionals
• Gender pay-gap in Australia nearly three times wider than the UK and US
• Women hold just 37% of leadership roles
• Sydney leads in wellbeing, while Melbourne lags
• Salary satisfaction improves dramatically post-pandemic
• Work-life balance and company culture more important than salary
• Contract roles on the rise as firms seek flexibility
• Sydney and Brisbane outpace Melbourne in salary growth

1 in 5 practices increase in-office days

The report shows that 1 in 5 Australian architecture and design practices have increased office attendance over the past year, signalling a shift away from fully remote or hybrid models.
Sydney leads this transition, with 37% of professionals working in-office five days per week, compared to 35% in Melbourne and 34% in Brisbane.

Australians spend more time in-office than UK and US professionals

On average, Australian architecture and design professionals spend 3.8 days per week in the office, 11% more than their UK and US counterparts, equivalent to slightly more than an extra day per fortnight.

Beyond attendance, Australian professionals also show greater enthusiasm for office-based work, with an average preference of 3.14 days per week in-office, 13% higher than those in the UK and US.

As Lindsay comments, “longer lockdowns in the UK and US cemented hybrid work as the norm. In Australia, shorter lockdowns meant an earlier return to the office, reinforcing a stronger preference for in-person work. But the tide is shifting both here in Australia and overseas, with more employers now feeling confident to encourage greater in-office presence.”

Gender pay-gap in Australia nearly three times wider than the UK and US

The report highlights significant gender pay disparities in the industry, with Australia’s architecture and design sector reporting a 20.6% pay gap between men and women. This stark contrast is nearly three times higher than the gender pay gap in the UK (7.3%) and the US (8.7%).

Brisbane has the widest gap at 24%, followed by Sydney at 20.6%, while Melbourne records a comparatively lower but still concerning 13% gap.

“A 20% pay gap is a stark reminder that there’s still work to be done,” said Luke Russo, Manager at Bespoke Careers Brisbane. “While progress is being made, closing this gap needs to remain a priority.”

Women hold just 37% of leadership roles

The report also highlights gender disparity in leadership, with men holding 63% of senior roles in Australia’s architecture and design industry. Sydney has the largest gender gap, with only 30% of leadership positions held by women, while Melbourne fares better at 46%.

Sydney leads in wellbeing, while Melbourne lags

The Wellbeing Index ranks Sydney highest at +25, with professionals reporting strong mental health support, fewer overtime hours, and a higher sense of feeling valued in their roles.

Brisbane follows at +20, while Melbourne lags behind at +18, with lower job satisfaction despite ranking highest for career path satisfaction, suggesting optimism about future growth despite current workplace concerns.

Salary satisfaction improves dramatically post-pandemic

Salary satisfaction in Australia has made a significant recovery since 2021, when it hit a low of -25. In 2025, the national score is -1, indicating a more stable outlook. Sydney leads in salary satisfaction (+1), while Brisbane (-2) and Melbourne (-4) still show some dissatisfaction.

“Salary satisfaction has steadily improved post-pandemic, reflecting renewed industry confidence,” said Lindsay.

Work-life balance and company culture more important than salary

When it comes to changing jobs, work-life balance emerged as the top reason for Australian professionals, followed by company culture and flexibility. Salary, while still important, ranked below these factors in overall job priorities.

For professionals over 35, company culture was the most significant reason for moving jobs, while those under 35 prioritised work-life balance.

Contract roles on the rise as firms seek flexibility

The report also identifies a rise in contract roles as firms seek more flexibility in hiring. Currently, 6.4% of the architecture and design workforce in Australia holds contract positions, with Brisbane leading at 10.53%.

“As firms navigate market demands, contract workers are becoming an essential part of hiring strategies, offering agility and specialised expertise,” said Lindsay.

Sydney and Brisbane outpace Melbourne in salary growth

Sydney and Brisbane saw higher-than-average salary increases compared to Melbourne, indicating strong demand for talent. Sydney’s 5.59% salary growth was the highest, followed by Brisbane at 5.39%, while Melbourne lagged behind at 4.01%.