Despite progress across the architecture and design industry, Australia trails behind the United States and United Kingdom when it comes to closing the gender pay gap, according to a new report released by Bespoke Careers. 

The 2025 Architecture and Design Market Report, which surveyed more than 1000 industry professionals, captured data across Australia, the US and UK. It revealed concerning figures for gender equity in the Australian market. 

However, the industry noted progress across areas of workplace attendance trends, wellbeing and salary satisfaction, which are beginning to bounce back from the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Bespoke Careers CEO Lindsay Urquhart comments on the fraught situation facing the industry. 

“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,” Urquhart says.

Gender pay gap 

The findings of the report highlight the enduring issue of the gender pay gap in Australia and spotlight its performance on the global stage, with overseas nations much closer to closing the gap. 

Within the architecture and interior design industry, results show that Australia’s gender pay gap sits at 20.6 percent, contrasting with the US at 8.7 percent and UK at 7.3 percent. 

Australia’s gender pay gap was most pronounced in Brisbane, where men earn 24 percent more than women. Sydney follows with a gap of 20.6 percent, while Melbourne records a comparatively lower but still notable gap of 13 percent. These results are significantly higher than the gender pay gap target range set by Australia’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) of between -5 percent and +5 percent.

Bespoke Careers Sydney managing director Krista Shearer cites the encouraging legislative changes that have come into act to counter the pay gap, but expresses concern over their efficacy.  

“There’s a lot of things in play now that should be closing this, it’s obviously nowhere near closed,” Shearer says. 

According to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), disparity between men and women who hold positions of leadership is a key contributor to the gap. Overall, gender representation remains unequal with just 37 percent of roles in leadership filled by women. This statistic remains the highest of the three countries surveyed. 

Areas of growth in Australia’s architecture and design industry

The report uncovered a major shift in attendance culture, with one in five practices in Australia increasing the number of in-office days over the last 12 months, bringing the national average close to four days per week. Despite this upward trend in office attendance, two thirds of practices still offer some kind of hybrid working to their employees.

Salary satisfaction also saw a significant improvement, with findings showing salary satisfaction has stabilised post-pandemic.

Bespoke Careers Melbourne managing director Georgie Brice expresses hope for the future of the industry in a post-pandemic environment.

“The steady rise in salary satisfaction since the pandemic is a strong indicator of an industry regaining its momentum,” Brice says. 

The Wellbeing Index, which evaluates workload, mental health support, feeling valued, overtime frequency and annual leave usage, also showed a positive outlook for architecture and design professionals in Australia. In fact, it scored highest among the three countries surveyed.

Read other insights in the full report by Bespoke.

Read ADR‘s February 2025 round up of industry appointments in architecture and interior design.