Architecture
Offered at 213 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 2 | — | — | — |
| Associate | 11 | — | — | — |
| Bachelor's | 108 | $54,218 | $70,989 | $25,000 |
| Master's | 65 | $62,996 | $78,276 | — |
| Doctoral | 16 | — | — | — |
| Professional | 1 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 10 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Paso Community College | TX | — | $43,790 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Notre Dame | IN | $70,513 | $87,617 | $24,500 |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $60,494 | $87,387 | $13,078 |
| 3 | University of Southern California | CA | — | $86,508 | — |
| 4 | Boston Architectural College | MA | $66,206 | $86,036 | $34,162 |
| 5 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | NC | $64,171 | $84,270 | $27,471 |
| 6 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | $66,434 | $82,532 | $27,250 |
| 7 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | CA | — | $81,816 | — |
| 8 | Drexel University | PA | $68,070 | $81,532 | $30,000 |
| 9 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | CA | $61,344 | $81,293 | $21,670 |
| 10 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | OK | — | $79,896 | — |
| 11 | Northeastern University | MA | — | $79,556 | — |
| 12 | Kennesaw State University | GA | $62,825 | $79,193 | $31,000 |
| 13 | Cornell University | NY | — | $78,177 | — |
| 14 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | PA | $62,516 | $77,907 | $29,000 |
| 15 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | VA | — | $77,819 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | $70,127 | $97,740 | — |
| 2 | Yale University | CT | — | $92,208 | — |
| 3 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | VA | — | $88,512 | — |
| 4 | University of Florida | FL | $68,269 | $87,314 | — |
| 5 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | — | $86,750 | — |
| 6 | Harvard University | MA | — | $86,602 | — |
| 7 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | IL | $68,053 | $85,937 | — |
| 8 | Boston Architectural College | MA | $74,576 | $85,554 | — |
| 9 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | $65,178 | $84,870 | — |
| 10 | Cornell University | NY | — | $84,763 | — |
| 11 | University of Pennsylvania | PA | — | $84,302 | — |
| 12 | Clemson University | SC | — | $84,302 | — |
| 13 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MA | — | $83,317 | — |
| 14 | Roger Williams University | RI | $62,409 | $81,790 | — |
| 15 | Washington State University | WA | — | $81,693 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Hawaii at Manoa | HI | — | $88,901 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning professional programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | NE | — | $72,960 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do architecture graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in architecture reports median earnings of $54,218. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
