Spencer Roberts attended the Spring Garden Institute program in architecture and hecame a draftsman for Frank Miles Day during 1893-94. In 1895 he and Lloyd Titus established a short-lived partnership, and he practiced thereafter from 1896 to 1899 as an associate of George U. Rehfuss. Throughout the period from 1899 tn 1911, while the architects worked in association as Rehfuss & Roberts, each also undertook independent projects. Roberts continued after 1911 to work alone, with his final project listings occurring in 1935.

Roberts joined the T-Square Club in 1893.