CEO/president pay at architecture firms is coming from nonguaranteed income sources such as bonuses, profit-sharing, and other cash compensation, according to the 2017 AIA Compensation Report. These increases were not universal; for example, they were more dominant for leaders at mid-sized firms (20 to 49 employees) and the largest firms (100+ employees) with 8- and 10-point jumps, respectively.
Director of operations positions also saw large increases in the share of their compensation coming from non-guaranteed sources—up to one-fifth of their salary in 2017 from 14 percent in 2015. The increases came from firms with more than 20 employees. Additionally, almost all positions saw base compensation pay increases. This combination of guaranteed and non-guaranteed income points to a more prosperous profession over the last two years.
