How to earn ₹70 LPA as an architect?

How does an architect earn ₹70 LPA? This isn’t a hypothetical question. I recently met someone who just quit a job with that exact salary, and her secret was refreshingly direct: she made a choice most of us in the field are taught to resist.

She accepted the fundamental trade-off of our profession. From our first day in architecture school, we’re presented with a stark dichotomy: the creative freedom of studio work, often paired with low pay, versus the "boring" but lucrative corporate path. You’re told you must trade creative fulfillment for financial stability, or vice versa.

My take? Make that trade, at least for a significant part of your career. Choose money. Choose stability. That corporate role may involve more project management than pure design, but the financial freedom it provides is an invaluable asset. High earnings build a foundation that buys you the leverage to take bigger, more meaningful risks later in life. Financial security is the launchpad for true creative independence, not its enemy.

"But what if I can't compromise on the work?" If creative control is non-negotiable, then the answer isn't a better job; it’s building your own firm. This is the only path where creative vision and high earnings can truly coexist and flourish. It’s the ultimate move from being a service provider to an owner.

I know architects personally who are clearing ₹15 Lakhs a month. They didn't achieve this by climbing the corporate ladder; they did it by building a business, not just a career. They mastered client acquisition, project management, and team leadership, creating an enterprise that scales beyond their own time.

The choice, while difficult, is clear. To earn big, you either make the strategic trade as a highly-paid employee to build capital for your future, or you start building your own firm today. One path funds your freedom; the other is your freedom.