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Architecture

Colleges offering this major Rankings Trends

What you'll do in college

Architecture is a five-year professional degree at most schools, with intense studio courses where you design real buildings under faculty critique. You'll also take structures, environmental systems, history of architecture, materials, and computer-aided design.

Studio is the heart of the major—expect to spend nights and weekends sketching, building physical models, and rendering 3D designs. Reviews ("crits") in front of faculty and visiting architects can be brutal but are how you learn to see and defend your work.

What you'll do after college

Grads work at architecture firms, design firms, real estate developers, and government agencies. Becoming a licensed architect requires several years of supervised practice plus the Architect Registration Examination.

Day-to-day work involves designing buildings, drawing construction documents, meeting with clients and contractors, and visiting sites. Pay is modest in the early years but rises with licensure and experience. The work is creative, visible, and deeply tied to community and place.

Famous graduates

  • I.M. Pei — Designed the Louvre Pyramid; B.Arch from MIT
  • Maya Lin — Designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; B.A. in Architecture from Yale University
  • Frank Gehry — Designed the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao; B.Arch from USC

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$61,553
1,377
100–88%
$63,643
2,699
88–78%
$63,456
2,785
78–69%
$64,566
2,672
69–52%
$66,356
2,724
50–20%
$69,367
1,368
20–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted earnings

By SAT median

$58,547
1,100
400–1110
$61,884
2,164
1110–1180
$65,473
2,261
1180–1270
$67,384
2,165
1270–1340
$68,337
2,249
1340–1460
$71,170
1,065
1470–1600
Combined SAT composite median (submitters + non-submitters) · bar = degree-weighted earnings

Earnings vs. selectivity rank

$50,903p10 $72,335p90 Arts STEM Non-Research Female-only Liberal Arts Public University Religious University Private University Liberal Arts 1–15 Public University 1–15 Private University 1–30 Rhode Island School of Design · $78,193 Bennington College · $48,064 Cleveland Institute of Art · $47,808 Moore College of Art and Design · $45,294 Fashion Institute of Technology · $53,786 Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design · $56,063 The New School · $55,900 Woodbury University · $53,191 Columbus College of Art & Design · $41,973 Pratt Institute · $71,191 Columbia College Chicago · $45,680 Southern California Institute of Architecture · $59,274 Maryland Institute College of Art · $49,855 Massachusetts College of Art and Design · $52,081 Savannah College of Art and Design · $60,844 California College of the Arts · $56,912 College for Creative Studies · $59,539 Cooper Union · $66,167 Wentworth Institute of Technology · $68,274 Lawrence Technological University · $71,793 Barnard College · $70,188 Wellesley College · $68,186 Bryn Mawr College · $57,023 Smith College · $58,267 Mount Holyoke College · $59,381 Meredith College · $46,975 Mount Mary University · $57,246 Bay Path University · $54,197 Salem College · $52,905 Vassar College · $54,679 Trinity University · $71,003 Morehouse College · $66,440 Trinity College (CT) · $68,396 Connecticut College · $66,160 Dillard University · $49,089 Rhodes College · $69,577 Adrian College · $54,479 Endicott College · $72,064 Chatham University · $66,495 Drury University · $72,546 Lipscomb University · $59,758 Augsburg University · $57,133 Converse University · $51,098 Keene State College · $62,130 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University · $56,469 CUNY Hunter College · $78,992 University of California, Irvine · $54,935 Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo · $71,325 San Diego State University · $57,614 Alabama A&M University · $53,756 University of Washington · $59,562 CUNY City College · $59,763 Cal Poly - Pomona · $68,690 Clemson University · $66,501 Morgan State University · $57,311 North Carolina A&T State University · $59,720 University of Central Florida · $61,853 University of Maryland, College Park · $62,759 Cal State Long Beach · $59,871 Auburn University · $72,658 Salisbury University · $63,150 University of Tennessee, Knoxville · $68,314 Stony Brook University · $60,843 Ohio State University · $65,924 Texas A&M University - College Station · $72,182 CUNY Queens College · $55,440 Florida Atlantic University · $57,681 West Chester University of Pennsylvania · $64,721 University of Connecticut · $66,418 Virginia Tech · $77,997 Pennsylvania State University · $80,067 University of Pittsburgh · $60,807 Illinois State University · $62,089 University of Massachusetts - Amherst · $83,478 University of New Mexico · $63,000 Minnesota State University, Mankato · $62,538 University of Central Missouri · $45,372 Winthrop University · $53,207 Appalachian State University · $58,356 Fresno State · $50,602 SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry · $63,902 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities · $63,174 Ball State University · $64,615 Central Michigan University · $55,848 Eastern Michigan University · $52,063 Kean University · $55,658 Oklahoma State University · $69,950 Rutgers University - New Brunswick · $61,541 University at Albany · $54,155 New Jersey Institute of Technology · $61,051 Texas Tech University · $65,551 University of Michigan - Dearborn · $64,284 Tennessee State University · $51,253 Texas State University · $62,427 University at Buffalo · $61,351 Louisiana State University · $69,128 University of Alabama · $61,303 College of Charleston · $57,288 Louisiana Tech University · $58,318 Cal State Sacramento · $61,477 Cleveland State University · $51,920 East Carolina University · $56,812 Missouri State University - Springfield · $52,333 Ohio University · $56,448 Southern Illinois University - Carbondale · $60,474 Temple University · $61,027 University of Central Arkansas · $56,734 University of Colorado Denver · $61,642 University of Delaware · $68,237 University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth · $62,877 University of Memphis · $60,313 University of Nebraska at Kearney · $58,277 University of North Carolina at Greensboro · $50,451 University of Oklahoma - Norman · $71,147 University of Texas at Arlington · $64,713 Virginia Commonwealth University · $50,179 Westfield State University · $53,298 Worcester State University · $45,164 Miami University - Ohio · $63,255 University of Rhode Island · $62,516 Oregon State University · $50,903 University of Arkansas · $74,651 University of Idaho · $56,651 University of Louisville · $63,870 Washington State University · $67,992 University of Houston · $68,438 University of Illinois Chicago · $60,923 University of Missouri - Kansas City · $66,070 Valdosta State University · $50,690 Prairie View A&M University · $67,289 University of Missouri · $71,108 University of North Carolina at Charlotte · $68,682 East Tennessee State University · $44,902 Middle Tennessee State University · $51,949 University of Louisiana at Lafayette · $60,880 University of New Hampshire · $59,992 Rutgers University - Camden · $57,847 Southeast Missouri State University · $57,173 Western Carolina University · $53,166 Kennesaw State University · $61,486 Portland State University · $59,854 University of Nebraska, Lincoln · $66,415 San Jose State University · $84,071 University of Central Oklahoma · $63,336 University of New Orleans · $60,011 University of North Texas · $56,506 Bowling Green State University · $58,233 Colorado State University - Fort Collins · $61,489 Eastern Washington University · $56,319 Fairmont State University · $58,496 Indiana University of Pennsylvania · $55,279 Kent State University at Kent · $54,862 University of Nevada, Las Vegas · $61,504 University of Utah · $59,389 University of Washington - Tacoma · $60,267 Purdue University Fort Wayne · $46,166 Stephen F. Austin State University · $53,607 Western Michigan University · $66,892 Michigan State University · $53,546 Mississippi State University · $75,903 Wayne State University · $60,365 Boise State University · $60,383 Indiana University - Indianapolis · $50,221 Ferris State University · $42,857 Indiana State University · $54,323 Iowa State University · $74,899 SUNY Buffalo State University · $48,532 Saint Cloud State University · $61,488 South Dakota State University · $60,533 University of Arizona · $74,523 University of Cincinnati · $65,731 Western Kentucky University · $67,338 University of Oregon · $64,576 Arizona State University · $63,337 Cal State Northridge · $50,978 Towson University · $60,659 University of Hawaii at Manoa · $60,879 University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee · $64,385 Northern Arizona University · $52,990 University of Kentucky · $63,802 University of North Alabama · $55,996 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point · $47,725 University of Texas at San Antonio · $58,213 University of Wisconsin - Stout · $54,257 North Dakota State University · $69,869 University of Southern Mississippi · $60,202 University of Kansas · $71,377 San Francisco State University · $60,216 Utah State University · $67,304 University of Northern Iowa · $54,619 Pittsburg State University · $57,479 Sam Houston State University · $50,844 Montana State University · $62,342 University of the District of Columbia · $58,905 Utah Valley University · $61,765 Weber State University · $55,874 University of Notre Dame · $80,631 Mississippi Christian University · $43,618 Fordham University · $66,205 Texas Christian University · $59,989 Loyola Marymount University · $60,417 Liberty University · $45,749 Baylor University · $65,457 University of San Diego · $61,642 Andrews University · $61,938 High Point University · $62,287 Olivet Nazarene University · $56,029 University of San Francisco · $66,556 Anderson University · $56,662 Harding University · $52,201 Judson University · $57,702 Manhattan College · $62,094 California Baptist University · $51,395 Brigham Young University · $93,533 Concordia University Wisconsin · $62,415 Queens University of Charlotte · $49,875 Abilene Christian University · $51,216 Elmhurst University · $60,389 Chaminade University of Honolulu · $54,541 La Roche University · $58,255 University of Detroit Mercy · $68,010 Salve Regina University · $64,596 Carson-Newman University · $56,465 Marywood University · $65,080 Mercyhurst University · $58,641 George Fox University · $58,571 Marymount University · $67,943 Samford University · $63,181 Catholic University of America · $66,371 DePaul University · $43,382 Brenau University · $53,645 Seattle Pacific University · $72,657 Belmont University · $44,301 University of the Incarnate Word · $53,641 Oklahoma Christian University · $52,645 Benedictine College · $64,165 University of Miami · $59,593 Tuskegee University · $64,527 Syracuse University · $72,335 Howard University · $60,590 George Washington University · $60,039 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · $72,453 Hobart William Smith Colleges · $65,405 Illinois Institute of Technology · $54,548 Rochester Institute of Technology · $54,378 Delaware Valley University · $56,944 Roger Williams University · $66,087 Suffolk University · $58,334 University of New Haven · $30,165 University of Bridgeport · $45,145 Ithaca College · $57,873 Thomas Jefferson University · $66,982 New York Institute of Technology · $62,850 Drexel University · $71,294 Norwich University · $54,093 Maryville University of Saint Louis · $52,120 Park University · $49,640 Amherst College · $65,682 Haverford College · $71,958 Middlebury College · $63,941 Georgia Tech · $64,485 University of California, Berkeley · $72,691 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor · $64,650 University of Virginia · $72,485 UCLA · $53,674 University of Florida · $64,287 University of Georgia · $70,360 Purdue University · $57,874 North Carolina State University · $76,519 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · $67,244 University of Texas at Austin · $73,051 University of Wisconsin - Madison · $61,712 Florida State University · $53,094 University of California, San Diego · $63,594 MIT · $95,480 Stanford University · $76,396 Yale University · $84,220 Princeton University · $70,966 Brown University · $71,852 University of Pennsylvania · $73,805 Columbia University · $76,505 Rice University · $72,145 Carnegie Mellon University · $71,851 Vanderbilt University · $77,707 Cornell University · $67,461 Washington University in St Louis · $75,089 Tufts University · $63,485 University of Southern California · $68,280 Boston University · $63,627 Tulane University · $75,805 Northeastern University · $75,166 Lehigh University · $70,737 Arts: mean $55,038 STEM Non-Research: mean $68,745 Female-only: mean $58,263 Liberal Arts: mean $62,736 Public University: mean $60,742 Religious University: mean $59,852 Private University: mean $58,828 Liberal Arts 1–15: mean $67,194 Public University 1–15: mean $65,409 Private University 1–30: mean $73,921 All colleges: p10 $50,903 All colleges: p90 $72,335
Each dot = a college · y = degree-weighted earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees ▼ Male/Female Intl Earnings Employment
Architecture 313 13,987 37% / 63% 7% $64,079 95%
Architecture 110 5,831 47% / 53% 8% $66,464 96%
Interior Design 123 2,660 8% / 92% 6% $56,381 95%
Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology 16 1,021 46% / 54% 14% $68,282 99%
Landscape Architecture 44 869 46% / 54% 5% $66,031 96%
Interior Architecture 35 775 11% / 89% 4% $61,451 95%
Urban Studies 49 472 41% / 59% 3% $63,422 93%
Architectural Studies 15 455 37% / 63% 9% $67,729 92%
Urban Studies/Affairs 22 253 47% / 53% 2% $59,579 97%
Environmental Design/Architecture 12 196 46% / 54% 5% $59,191 96%
Urban Planning 7 167 68% / 32% 9% $64,378 95%
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning 17 161 54% / 46% 3% $61,328 96%
Architectural Sciences 2 112 46% / 54% 9% $68,496 93%
Urban and Regional Planning 6 94 52% / 48% 2% $59,344 98%
Architecture and Design Technology 1 87 46% / 54% 1% $68,031
Housing and Interior Design 3 75 43% / 57% 1% $90,660 96%
City and Regional Planning 3 73 48% / 52% 3% $64,495 98%
Architectural History and Criticism 8 71 34% / 66% 13% $66,606 94%
Housing and Human Environments 3 66 12% / 88% 0% $56,012 95%
Architectural and Building Science Technology 1 65 38% / 62% 5% $68,142 88%
Urban Studies and Planning 2 62 39% / 61% 3% $58,874 100%
Spatial Sciences 1 56 80% / 20% 0% $75,036 89%
Urban Design and Planning 1 36 53% / 47% 0% $64,004 83%
Historic Preservation and Conservation 6 33 24% / 76% 3% $62,964 89%
Architecture and Related Services 2 33 48% / 52% 0% $63,170 88%
Urban and Regional Studies 1 31 52% / 48% 6% $67,414 96%
Architectural Technology 5 26 42% / 58% 15% $64,290 100%
Architecture Studies 2 26 12% / 88% 12% $68,091 100%
Landscape and Urban Studies 1 26 38% / 62% 4% $63,976 100%
Architectural Design Technology 1 23 9% / 91% 9% $68,337
Urban Planning and Design 1 20 70% / 30% 10% $63,540 100%
Architecture and Building Sciences 3 18 39% / 61% 0% $65,446
Urban Science and Planning with Computer Science (Course 11-6) 1 17 35% / 65% 6% $103,036 94%
Architectural Technology/Technician 1 16 50% / 50% 0% $67,338 96%
Community and Regional Planning 1 16 50% / 50% 0% $64,675 100%
Architectural Design 2 14 57% / 43% 14% $66,098
Environmental Design 1 12 58% / 42% 0% $61,147
Architecture (Course 4) 1 10 30% / 70% 30% $82,634 94%
Sustainable Design/Architecture 1 4 25% / 75% 0%
Architectural History 1 3 0% / 100% 0% $59,321
Housing and Human Environments, Other 1 1 0% / 100% 0%
Urban and Metropolitan Studies 1 1 0% / 100% 0% $63,900