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