Free or Paid? Which Route Should an Architect Take When Choosing a Continuing Education Provider?

Choosing the right continuing education (CE) provider can be challenging, particularly when it comes to free versus paid options. Our first instinct may be to choose the cheapest option. But does that yield the greatest reward?  

Obviously, when you’re on a budget and trying to check-boxes and/or meet minimum requirements, free is the most enticing offer. The good thing is that there are great free options out there delivered by wonderful organizations like the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The bonus is that their courses cover areas that meet the minimum health, safety, and welfare (HSW) requirements. 

On the other hand, there is a need to engage compelling, in-depth courses that teach you skills for use on the job. Think of courses created by architecture and design professionals that are as passionate about the industry as you are. Paid providers that deliver comprehensive learning modules and advanced topics that also give you practical application. This kind of content generally leads to better continuing education experiences and healthy career growth.  

Let’s dig in and find out more about why you should choose paid CE over the free alternatives.  

Are free AIA continuing education courses and others like it costing architects more? 

It’s no secret that many free CE courses are sponsored by building product manufacturers (BPMs)—offering credit in exchange for an hour of your time, listening to thinly veiled product pitches. As Kevin Jones, an Amber Book instructor, recently shared on the ArchiSpeak podcast, these courses often have one clear goal: to get their product and specifications into your spec book. While they can be informative, they rarely offer the depth, functionality, or unbiased perspective that paid CE courses provide. Instead of learning how to evaluate the best solutions for your project, you may be steered toward a particular brand’s offerings—limiting your understanding of the full range of possibilities. 

Yes, free courses are an appealing way to fulfill your learning unit requirements. But are they really free? Saving money in the short term may come at the expense of lost time, missed fundamental knowledge, and limited practical application. 

Paid courses are designed with your growth in mind. They aren’t just slapped together to sell you a product. Instead, they provide real-world insights, structured learning experiences, and new course certifications that help you excel. 

So, why focus on content quality, specifically depth, expertise, and practicality? 

The better question is “do you want to take your professional development efforts to the next level?” If so, paid CEU courses are the way to go. In addition to providing structured, practical learning, they help you build confidence in your competence. 

Let’s talk about depth and sustainability, a.k.a. thorough topic exploration. 

Many architects treat continuing education as a last-minute obligation, scrambling to fulfill licensing requirements before renewal deadlines by scouring to find webinars and online courses. Kevin Jones noted it’s easy to fall into the habit of “box-checking” CE rather than seeking real professional growth. But what if CEU courses weren’t just about meeting the minimum standards—what if they could actually make you a better architect? 

With paid courses, you often get to dive deep into topics and experience comprehensive learning that lets you explore connections between easily dismissed points of interest. You might even surprise yourself and find pathways that take you further into architecture passions, shaping your way forward in a promising career beyond just receiving a certificate of completion. 

It doesn’t hurt that that these courses help you meet real-world challenges head on with educational designs that help you stay current on the changes demands of the profession. All of this by addressing industry-relevant topics.  

What’s better than learning from experts? Nothing. 

The course instructors at Amber Book have adopted a motto—Guided by experts. Grounded in practice. If you encounter a free course that exhibits the same zeal for education and learning, then you should jump on it. However, you’ll likely be hard pressed to find one that shares that same vision, while backing it with professionals who have spent years in the field and are able to offer advice and tips beyond what's in the textbooks. 

Seek out providers with experts that have been in the trenches doing the job you’ve decided to dedicate your career to and let them share their lived experiences with you—help you be the best architect you can be. That’s worth investment. 

There’s no reason continuing education can’t be engaging and interactive. 

According to LeVar Battle, Director of Marketing Communications for Amber Book, the most effective CEU courses don’t just present information—they engage learners and create interactive experiences that reinforce understanding. To achieve this, these courses incorporate key elements that keep learners actively involved. 

 Key elements to look for in a CE course: 

• Knowledge Checks – Interactive quizzes throughout the course that reinforce learning and ensure retention. 

• Downloadable PDFs – Provide learners with easy access to article-based content for future reference. 

• External Resources – Offer links to relevant projects or external sources that support deeper exploration of key topics. 

 Why these elements are effective: 

• Knowledge checks help learners stay engaged by turning passive reading into active participation. 

• Downloadable PDFs enhance flexibility, allowing learners to revisit important material anytime. 

• External resources provide real-world connections that make the content more meaningful. 

By incorporating these interactive elements, CE courses become more than just credit-earning continuing education requirements—they create meaningful learning experiences that keep professionals engaged and informed. 

Real-world application or it doesn’t matter. 

As Kevin Jones pointed out, the most valuable CE courses aren’t the ones that feel like a one-hour chore, but the ones that help architects actively pursue knowledge that makes them better at their craft. The best CE courses don’t just check a box; they expand your expertise, spark curiosity, and provide insights that translate directly into practice. 

Considering the speed at which the built environment develops around us, it’s safe to say professionals across the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry gain more value from real-world scenario, opposed to theory. By delving into topics conceptually and not just having a narrow focus, paid CE will provide you with the why and/or how of the topic(s) of interest.  

Ralph Hale, Product Specialist at Amber Book, offered up a great example: a paid course will talk about different types of lighting, advantages and disadvantages of each, and their unique use cases.  Free CE will talk about how halogen lights are the best thing ever and perfect for all applications. 

Companies that offer paid education credits typically have the resources to expand upon specific material, weaving in conceptual learning, so that you can apply your learning to your projects in varying ways - not only will your work meet a specific current standard, but you will better understand current standards and what is in-bounds and out-of-bounds for your projects 

Value and ROI for today, tomorrow, and the rest of your career 

Hearing someone tell you to invest in yourself may sound cliché. However, the phrase holds weight. Look at it this way: if you don’t invest in yourself, then who will? 

The biggest takeaway from this article should be that whether you’re early in your career or a leader in the industry, investing in paid continuing education provides you with invaluable advanced skills and deep knowledge that will pay back in dividends—better projects, more job opportunities, higher earning potential, and more. 

We can’t stress the ever-changing industry enough. And if you seek out professional development opportunities that aid you in changing with it, you’ll be able to adapt accordingly.