Architecture: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries

Q: Which universities have the largest Architecture programs?

Currently 105 accredited institutions offer Architecture degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Texas Tech University (TTU) (237 graduates), Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) (168 graduates), and University of Florida (UF) (148 graduates).

Q: Is enrollment in Architecture growing or declining?

Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 10,449 in 2010 to a peak of 4,963 in 2020, before declining slightly to 4,504 in 2023-24. This represents a 57% decrease overall from 2010.

Q: What career paths are available with a Architecture degree?

This degree prepares you for roles such as Architectural and Engineering Managers, Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary, and Architects, Except Landscape and Naval. Related occupations employ approximately 330,600 professionals nationwide.

Program Overview

Architecture is a dynamic, multidisciplinary field focused on the design, planning, and realization of built environments that balance aesthetic innovation with functional, structural, and environmental integrity. This program equips students with the technical expertise, critical thinking, and creative vision necessary to shape spaces that respond to human needs, cultural contexts, and sustainable imperatives.

Architectural Design: Explores the creative process of form-making, spatial organization, and visual expression, emphasizing conceptual development, model-making, and digital design tools.
Architectural History and Theory: Investigates the evolution of architectural thought across cultures and time periods, analyzing key movements, influential figures, and philosophical underpinnings.
Building Structures: Covers principles of structural systems, material behavior, load analysis, and engineering integration to ensure safe, efficient, and innovative building frameworks.
Environmental Systems: Focuses on climate-responsive design, energy efficiency, daylighting, acoustics, and sustainable technologies that support occupant well-being and environmental stewardship.
Project and Site Planning: Addresses land use, urban context, zoning regulations, circulation, and spatial hierarchy to create coherent and site-sensitive architectural solutions.
Construction Methods and Materials: Provides hands-on knowledge of building assemblies, fabrication techniques, material selection, and construction documentation for real-world implementation.
Professional Practice and Ethics: Prepares students for regulatory compliance, project management, client relations, contract administration, and the legal and ethical responsibilities of the architectural profession.
Social, Cultural, and Economic Contexts: Examines how architecture interacts with communities, identity, equity, economic forces, and societal change to foster inclusive and meaningful built environments.

Architecture Graduate Trends (2010-2024)

4,504

Total Graduates (2023-2024)

105

Universities & Colleges

Career Pathways

Career & Salary Outlook Schools Offering This Program Related Programs

Architecture Career Pathways & Salary Outlook

The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Architecture degrees, including Architectural and Engineering Managers, Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary and Architects, Except Landscape and Naval. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 330,600 professionals.

National Average Salaries

Occupation	Median Salary	Salary Range	Total Employment	Hourly Rate
Architectural and Engineering Managers 11-9041	$167,740	$111,450 - $239,200	210,340	$80.64
Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1031	$101,480	$59,590 - $166,720	9,120	N/A
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval 17-1011	$96,690	$60,510 - $159,800	111,140	$46.49

Salary Comparison

Data Source: Salary and employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2024 estimates, based on 3 related occupations. Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics.

*Salary Range Explanation: The salary range represents the 10th to 90th percentile, meaning 80% of workers in this occupation earn within this range. This excludes the lowest 10% and highest 10% of earners to provide a more realistic picture of typical compensation.

Important Disclaimer: Salary data represents national averages and varies by location, experience, employer, and market conditions. These statistics are estimates for general guidance and do not guarantee specific employment outcomes for graduates.

Architecture Salary Map by State

Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $97,743 in Utah to $144,810 in California—a 48% difference. The highest-paying states include California, Delaware, and New Hampshire. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 330,600 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.

Average Salary Range:

Top Universities for Architecture by Graduate Enrollment

Below are the top 100 institutions offering Architecture programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Architecture is found at Texas Tech University (TTU) (237 graduates), Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) (168 graduates), University of Florida (UF) (148 graduates), University of Maryland (UMCP), College Park (139 graduates), and Texas A & M University, College Station (133 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 4,495 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.

College Name	Award Levels	Graduates	Admissions	Location	Control	Website
Texas Tech University (TTU)	Bachelor's Postbac Cert. Master's Other Award	237	SAT: 1090-1270 ACT: 22-28	Lubbock, Texas	Public	ttu.edu
Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU)	Bachelor's Doctorate (R)	168	N/A	Tempe, Arizona	Public	asu.edu
University of Florida (UF)	Bachelor's Postbac Cert. Master's	148	SAT: 1300-1480 ACT: 28-33	Gainesville, Florida	Public	ufl.edu
University of Maryland (UMCP)	Bachelor's Postbac Cert.	139	SAT: 1370-1520 ACT: 32-35	College Park, Maryland	Public	umd.edu
Texas A & M University	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	133	SAT: 1140-1380 ACT: 25-31	College Station, Texas	Public	tamu.edu
Kent State University	Bachelor's Master's Post-Master's	125	SAT: 1000-1230 ACT: 18-25	Kent, Ohio	Public	kent.edu
The University of Texas (UTSA)	Bachelor's Postbac Cert.	122	SAT: 1000-1200 ACT: 19-26	San Antonio, Texas	Public	utsa.edu
University of California (UCB)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	117	N/A	Berkeley, California	Public	berkeley.edu
California State Polytechnic University (CPP)	Bachelor's Master's	108	N/A	Pomona, California	Public	cpp.edu
North Dakota State University (NDSU)	Bachelor's Master's	107	ACT: 19-24	Fargo, North Dakota	Public	ndsu.edu
University of Houston (UH)	Bachelor's	106	SAT: 1150-1330 ACT: 23-28	Houston, Texas	Public	uh.edu
University of Minnesota (UMN)	Bachelor's	97	SAT: 1310-1480 ACT: 27-31	Minneapolis, Minnesota	Public	twin-cities.umn.edu
The University of Texas	Bachelor's	97	SAT: 990-1230 ACT: 18-26	Arlington, Texas	Public	uta.edu
Clemson University	Bachelor's Postbac Cert.	93	SAT: 1230-1390 ACT: 28-32	Clemson, South Carolina	Public	clemson.edu
University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)	Bachelor's Master's	89	SAT: 1120-1340 ACT: 25-32	Chicago, Illinois	Public	uic.edu
University of Virginia (UVA)	Bachelor's	89	SAT: 1410-1530 ACT: 32-34	Charlottesville, Virginia	Public	virginia.edu
Ball State University (BSU)	Bachelor's Postbac Cert.	88	SAT: 1080-1250 ACT: 25-30	Muncie, Indiana	Public	bsu.edu
University of Cincinnati (UC)	Bachelor's Doctorate (R)	88	SAT: 1150-1360 ACT: 24-29	Cincinnati, Ohio	Public	uc.edu
University of Michigan (U‑M)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	75	SAT: 1350-1530 ACT: 31-34	Ann Arbor, Michigan	Public	umich.edu
Pennsylvania State University	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	75	SAT: 1220-1400 ACT: 27-32	University Park, Pennsylvania	Public	psu.edu
University of North Carolina at Charlotte	Bachelor's	71	SAT: 1110-1320 ACT: 21-27	Charlotte, North Carolina	Public	charlotte.edu
The Catholic University of America	Bachelor's Master's	70	N/A	Washington, District of Columbia	Private	catholic.edu
University of Arkansas (U of A)	Bachelor's	69	SAT: 1050-1220 ACT: 21-28	Fayetteville, Arkansas	Public	uark.edu
University of Washington (UW)	Bachelor's Master's	66	N/A	Seattle, Washington	Public	washington.edu
Auburn University (AU)	Bachelor's	62	SAT: 1240-1380 ACT: 25-31	Auburn, Alabama	Public	auburn.edu
Southern Illinois University	Bachelor's Master's	61	SAT: 910-1140 ACT: 20-27	Carbondale, Illinois	Public	siu.edu
University of New Mexico (UNM)	Bachelor's	61	SAT: 900-1160 ACT: 19-26	Albuquerque, New Mexico	Public	unm.edu
University at Buffalo (UB)	Bachelor's Master's	61	SAT: 1210-1380 ACT: 27-32	Buffalo, New York	Public	buffalo.edu
Prairie View A & M University (PVAMU)	Bachelor's Master's	60	SAT: 850-1030 ACT: 16-20	Prairie View, Texas	Public	pvamu.edu
University of Notre Dame (ND)	Bachelor's Master's	58	SAT: 1440-1540 ACT: 33-35	Notre Dame, Indiana	Private	nd.edu
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)	Bachelor's Master's	56	SAT: 1330-1500 ACT: 30-34	Troy, New York	Private	rpi.edu
The University of Texas	Bachelor's	55	SAT: 1230-1490 ACT: 27-33	Austin, Texas	Public	utexas.edu
Portland State University (PSU)	Bachelor's Master's	54	N/A	Portland, Oregon	Public	pdx.edu
Kean University	Bachelor's	53	SAT: 1020-1198	Union, New Jersey	Public	kean.edu
North Carolina State University (NC State)	Bachelor's Postbac Cert.	51	SAT: 1300-1460 ACT: 28-32	Raleigh, North Carolina	Public	ncsu.edu
University of South Florida (USF)	Master's	48	SAT: 1140-1330 ACT: 24-29	Tampa, Florida	Public	usf.edu
Howard University (HU)	Bachelor's Master's	42	SAT: 1100-1298 ACT: 22-28	Washington, District of Columbia	Private	howard.edu
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	42	ACT: 18-24	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Public	uwm.edu
Judson University	Bachelor's Master's	39	SAT: 860-1080 ACT: 16-23	Elgin, Illinois	Private	judsonu.edu
El Paso Community College (EPCC)	Associate's	38	N/A	El Paso, Texas	Public	epcc.edu
Mississippi State University (MSU)	Bachelor's	37	SAT: 1110-1410 ACT: 21-29	Mississippi State, Mississippi	Public	msstate.edu
Drexel University	Bachelor's	37	SAT: 1230-1430 ACT: 27-33	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Private	drexel.edu
Marywood University	Bachelor's	36	SAT: 1050-1240 ACT: 21-26	Scranton, Pennsylvania	Private	marywood.edu
University of San Francisco (USF)	Bachelor's	35	SAT: 1210-1390 ACT: 26-31	San Francisco, California	Private	usfca.edu
Tulane University of Louisiana	Bachelor's	35	SAT: 1390-1510 ACT: 31-33	New Orleans, Louisiana	Private	tulane.edu
Princeton University	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	34	SAT: 1500-1580 ACT: 34-35	Princeton, New Jersey	Private	princeton.edu
Drury University	Bachelor's	32	SAT: 1050-1310 ACT: 23-28	Springfield, Missouri	Private	drury.edu
Yale University	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	31	SAT: 1500-1580 ACT: 33-35	New Haven, Connecticut	Private	yale.edu
University of Nevada (UNLV)	Bachelor's	31	SAT: 980-1230 ACT: 18-24	Las Vegas, Nevada	Public	unlv.edu
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico (PUCPR)	Bachelor's	31	SAT: 1123-1336	Ponce, Puerto Rico	Private	pucpr.edu
Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico	Bachelor's Master's	31	N/A	Hato Rey, Puerto Rico	Private	pupr.edu
University of Central Florida (UCF)	Bachelor's	28	SAT: 1190-1350 ACT: 25-29	Orlando, Florida	Public	ucf.edu
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art	Bachelor's	28	SAT: 1400-1520 ACT: 33-34	New York, New York	Private	cooper.edu
University of Puerto Rico (UPR)	Master's	28	N/A	San Juan, Puerto Rico	Public	uprrp.edu
University of Louisiana (UL Lafayette)	Master's	26	SAT: 1120-1255 ACT: 23-27	Lafayette, Louisiana	Public	louisiana.edu
Rice University	Bachelor's Master's	25	SAT: 1500-1570 ACT: 34-36	Houston, Texas	Private	rice.edu
Louisiana Tech University (LA Tech)	Master's	24	SAT: 1045-1290 ACT: 21-27	Ruston, Louisiana	Public	latech.edu
Norwich University	Bachelor's Master's	24	SAT: 1060-1320 ACT: 20-27	Northfield, Vermont	Private	norwich.edu
Keene State College (KSC)	Bachelor's	23	N/A	Keene, New Hampshire	Public	keene.edu
University of the District of Columbia (UDC)	Bachelor's Master's	22	N/A	Washington, District of Columbia	Public	udc.edu
Morgan State University (MSU)	Bachelor's	22	SAT: 860-1080 ACT: 17-21	Baltimore, Maryland	Public	morgan.edu
Columbia University in the City of New York	Bachelor's Post-Master's Doctorate (R)	22	SAT: 1490-1570 ACT: 34-35	New York, New York	Private	columbia.edu
University of California (UCLA)	Bachelor's Master's	21	N/A	Los Angeles, California	Public	ucla.edu
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	21	SAT: 1510-1580 ACT: 34-36	Cambridge, Massachusetts	Private	web.mit.edu
University of Pennsylvania (Penn)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	21	SAT: 1500-1570 ACT: 34-35	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Private	upenn.edu
University of Pittsburgh	Bachelor's	21	SAT: 1270-1450 ACT: 29-33	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	Public	pitt.edu
Brown University	Bachelor's	21	SAT: 1500-1570 ACT: 34-35	Providence, Rhode Island	Private	brown.edu
Texas Southmost College (TSC)	Associate's	20	N/A	Brownsville, Texas	Public	tsc.edu
Middlebury College	Bachelor's	20	SAT: 1430-1550 ACT: 33-34	Middlebury, Vermont	Private	middlebury.edu
SUNY College of Technology (Alfred State)	Bachelor's	19	SAT: 970-1170 ACT: 16-23	Alfred, New York	Public	alfredstate.edu
Lehigh University	Bachelor's	16	SAT: 1350-1490 ACT: 31-33	Bethlehem, Pennsylvania	Private	lehigh.edu
Harvard University	Master's Doctorate (R)	15	SAT: 1500-1580 ACT: 34-36	Cambridge, Massachusetts	Private	harvard.edu
Washington University in St Louis (WashU)	Bachelor's	15	SAT: 1500-1570 ACT: 33-35	Saint Louis, Missouri	Private	wustl.edu
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)	Bachelor's	15	SAT: 1500-1570 ACT: 34-35	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	Private	cmu.edu
Hampton University	Master's	15	SAT: 857-1226 ACT: 12-24	Hampton, Virginia	Private	hamptonu.edu
The University of Tennessee	Bachelor's Master's	14	SAT: 1190-1340 ACT: 25-31	Knoxville, Tennessee	Public	utk.edu
Utah Valley University (UVU)	Bachelor's	14	N/A	Orem, Utah	Public	uvu.edu
California State University	Bachelor's	11	N/A	Fresno, California	Public	fresnostate.edu
Benedictine College	Bachelor's	11	SAT: 1117-1310 ACT: 22-29	Atchison, Kansas	Private	benedictine.edu
Tufts University	Bachelor's	11	SAT: 1460-1550 ACT: 33-35	Medford, Massachusetts	Private	tufts.edu
Bowling Green State University (BGSU)	Master's	11	SAT: 1020-1230 ACT: 20-26	Bowling Green, Ohio	Public	bgsu.edu
Connecticut College (Conn)	Bachelor's	10	SAT: 1340-1470 ACT: 31-33	New London, Connecticut	Private	conncoll.edu
University of Oklahoma (OU)	Bachelor's	10	SAT: 1140-1330 ACT: 23-29	Norman, Oklahoma	Public	ou.edu
Boston Architectural College (BAC)	Bachelor's	9	N/A	Boston, Massachusetts	Private	the-bac.edu
Ferris State University (FSU)	Master's	9	SAT: 890-1120 ACT: 18-26	Big Rapids, Michigan	Public	ferris.edu
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC)	Associate's	9	N/A	Perkinston, Mississippi	Public	mgccc.edu
Brookdale Community College	Associate's	9	N/A	Lincroft, New Jersey	Public	brookdalecc.edu
University of Southern California (USC)	Bachelor's	8	SAT: 1440-1550 ACT: 32-35	Los Angeles, California	Private	usc.edu
Wellesley College	Bachelor's	8	SAT: 1440-1550 ACT: 33-35	Wellesley, Massachusetts	Private	wellesley.edu
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)	Doctorate (R)	7	SAT: 1240-1420 ACT: 27-32	Blacksburg, Virginia	Public	vt.edu
California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly)	Master's	6	N/A	San Luis Obispo, California	Public	calpoly.edu
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)	Doctorate (R)	6	SAT: 1330-1530 ACT: 28-34	Atlanta, Georgia	Public	gatech.edu
Itawamba Community College (ICC)	Associate's	6	N/A	Fulton, Mississippi	Public	iccms.edu
Austin Community College District (ACC)	Associate's	5	N/A	Austin, Texas	Public	austincc.edu
Ithaca College (IC)	Bachelor's	4	SAT: 1190-1370 ACT: 27-31	Ithaca, New York	Private	ithaca.edu
Dallas College	Associate's	4	N/A	Dallas, Texas	Public	dallascollege.edu
Universidad Ana G. Mendez (UAGM Gurabo)	Master's	4	N/A	Gurabo, Puerto Rico	Private	uagm.edu
University of Idaho (U of I)	Master's	3	SAT: 950-1200 ACT: 20-29	Moscow, Idaho	Public	uidaho.edu
East Mississippi Community College (EMCC)	Associate's	3	N/A	Scooba, Mississippi	Public	eastms.edu
Holmes Community College	Associate's	3	N/A	Goodman, Mississippi	Public	holmescc.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to the most common questions about Architecture programs

How much can I earn with a Architecture degree?

Salaries for Architecture graduates vary by role and location. Architectural and Engineering Managers earn a median of $167,740 annually, while Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary earn around $101,480. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in California average $144,810 compared to $97,743 in Utah. Approximately 330,600 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.

Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.

Which universities have the largest Architecture programs?

Currently 105 accredited institutions offer Architecture degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Texas Tech University (TTU) (237 graduates), Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) (168 graduates), and University of Florida (UF) (148 graduates).

Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.

Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.

Is enrollment in Architecture growing or declining?

Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 10,449 in 2010 to a peak of 4,963 in 2020, before declining slightly to 4,504 in 2023-24. This represents a 57% decrease overall from 2010.

The field remains specialized with consistent demand, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.

Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.

What career paths are available with a Architecture degree?

This degree prepares you for roles such as Architectural and Engineering Managers, Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary, and Architects, Except Landscape and Naval. Related occupations employ approximately 330,600 professionals nationwide.

Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.

Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.

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