The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards has released its 2021 "NCARB by the Numbers" report, an annual data study on architecture education, demographics, and career paths. The report—which is NCARB's 10th anniversary edition—looks at data gathered in 2020 from NCARB's 55 members boards in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Thanks to a new section on pass rate demographics for the Architect Registration Examination 5.0, this year's report takes a close look at the demanding six-division exam, finding "troubling disparities faced by candidates of color, women, and older candidates," according to the report.
"Data transparency has always been important to NCARB, because if the profession isn’t armed with accurate information, it can be difficult to enact meaningful and impactful change," Alfred Vidaurri Jr., FAIA, NCARB's recently appointed 2021-2022 president, tells ARCHITECT. "We also hope our actions will inspire similar licensing and credentialing organizations to share their exam data."
In the wake of COVID-19 and testing center closures, 2020 saw just over 2,700 candidates complete the ARE, a 31% drop compared with 2019. The success rate of ARE candidates, however, increased by 2 percentage points to 54%.
To gather information on ARE pass rates, NCARB analyzed demographic information from more than 32,700 ARE test takers, all of whom can report demographic data as part of their NCARB record. Although the overall number of licensed architects continued its rise—reaching a new high in 2020 of 121,997, a 5% increase from 2019 and a 17% increase from a decade ago—white test takers had a higher pass rate on the ARE than their Black or African American peers last year. "On average, American Indian/Alaskan Native candidates had the second highest pass rates of all races/ethnicities," states the report. "Hispanic or Latino candidates performed slightly better than their African American peers; for comparison, the gap between white and Hispanic or Latino candidates ranged from 24-32 percentage points across the six divisions."
The exam disparities were greatest in its three-hour-long Programming & Analysis section, which consists of 75 questions focused on project requirements and constraints. White candidates had a pass rate that is 38 percentage points higher than their Black or African American peers. Although NCARB has yet to isolate specific root causes for this performance gap, the organization's internal Fairness in Licensure work group, which launched in 2019, "is looking into potential explanations," says NCARB's vice president of examination Jared Zurn, AIA.
Disparities among ARE pass rates were also present when looking at gender. Male ARE candidates outperformed female candidates on five of six ARE divisions, though Black or African American women outperformed Black or African American men on four of the six divisions. Men and women performed equally on the Practice Management division, while the largest disparity was on the Project Planning & Design and Project Development & Documentation divisions; men performed 12 and 15 percentage points higher, respectively.
Another ARE pass rate disparity occurs between younger and older test takers: candidates between the ages of 18 and 29 have the highest pass rates, while candidates who are 40 or older have the lowest pass rates. "Further research is needed, but NCARB and [The National Organization of Minority Architects'] joint 'Baseline on Belonging' study reveals that candidates over the age of 40 are less likely to find supportive firms and supervisors," Zurn says. "The exam and experience program are designed to complement each other, so there could be a correlation between exam performance and [Architectural Experience Program] reports." NCARB's Fairness in Licensure team is investigating the possible link.
Following a preliminary data audit conducted before the 2020 data was pulled and analyzed, NCARB hired a consultant to conduct an internal bias study for the ARE. Although NCARB did enhance its bias and accessibility training for exam-writing volunteers based on recommendations from its consultant, "NCARB’s data and independently led bias studies reveal that exam questions do not drive exam performance disparities," Vidaurri says. "It’s more likely that inequities leading up to the exam—including access to architectural education, diverse firm experiences, and study materials—culminate in disparate exam performance."
Hoping to address these inequities, NCARB has launched a series of initiatives, resources, and feedback opportunities. "I’ve known for some time that I wanted to focus on strengthening our existing [equity, diversity, and inclusion] efforts, and this data confirms that NCARB—and the entire profession—must continue to assess and resolve barriers to licensure," Vidaurri says. "One outcome of these results is that we’re currently developing free practice exams for all six divisions that will be available to all emerging professionals." NCARB and NOMA's 2020 'Baseline on Belonging' study found that nearly half of respondents spent over $500 on test preparation materials; as a result, NCARB hopes to offer these free practice tests by mid-2022.
NCARB is also conducting another independent bias audit looking at content areas within each of the ARE divisions. It has tried to increase the representation of licensure candidates by appointing ARE candidates to its 2021 Examination Committee—the body that recommends exam format and policy changes to NCARB’s national board of directors. These candidates are engaged members of NCARB's volunteer community, which includes licensure candidates. Like all NCARB committee volunteer positions, the individuals were selected by the incoming president, in this case, Vidaurri, and approved by the Board of Directors.
NCARB also plans to collect community feedback through two separate initiatives: licensure candidate focus groups conducted by an external consultant and an Architecture Licensing Feedback survey. Hoping to ensure that the organization reaches minority members of the profession, NCARB's "outreach team visits dozens of architecture schools, professional conferences, and AIA chapters every year," Zurn says. "We are also continuing our engagements with various architectural associations that represent historically marginalized groups." These engagements include NCARB's continued relationship with NOMA. The organizations are planning to publish a second "Baseline on Belonging" report, this time focused on the ARE, later this summer.
NCARB's Fairness in Licensure team will continue its work, now examining possible links between exam performance and the criteria driving candidates’ Architectural Experience Program reports, and firm culture. "People of color, women, and candidates over the age of 40 appear to have greater challenges and are less likely to pass the exam," Vidaurri says. "Armed with this knowledge, firms can ensure they are providing equitable access to diverse experience opportunities, study materials, and mentorship opportunities. We encourage regular check-ins with all licensure candidates to ensure they’re being supported in a way that fits their individual needs and career goals."
Both Vidaurri and Zurn stress that, while NCARB can always improve its practices, the profession at large can help support licensure candidates, reimagining what a more accessible model of licensing might look like. "I’ve had the opportunity to work at multidisciplinary firms throughout my 40-year career, and I’ve encouraged NCARB to explore whether we can borrow elements and best practices from allied professions," Vidaurri says. "While we don’t yet have the answer, I’d like to explore the possibility of accrediting four-year degrees and alternative pathways to licensure that are just as valid as the current structure."
To read the complete "NCARB By the Numbers" report, visit ncarb.org.
