Architecture major
Architecture: courses, careers, and where to study
Architecture combines design, structural reasoning, and building systems to plan habitable spaces, suiting students who pair creative drawing with technical problem-solving.
Nationally, bachelor's graduates in Architecture earn a median $66,914 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $54,236 to $78,634 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). By credential and college
An Architecture major centers on the design studio, where students develop projects from concept through drawings and physical or digital models, alongside coursework in architectural history and theory, building structures, environmental and mechanical systems, construction materials and methods, site planning, and building codes. Programs lean heavily on CAD and BIM software, hand drawing, and model-making, and most require studio sequences each term that build toward a comprehensive design project.
Degrees come in a few forms: a five-year Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch), a four-year pre-professional bachelor's followed by a Master of Architecture (M.Arch), or a direct M.Arch for students entering from another field. The professional B.Arch or M.Arch is the path most students take toward licensure.
Graduates work in architecture and engineering firms, often beginning as architectural designers before completing the experience and examination requirements to become licensed. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2024 median annual wage for architects was $96,690, and employment of architects is projected to change 3.9% from 2024 to 2034. Related paths include urban and regional planning, interior architecture, and construction-focused roles.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Architecture maps to CIP 04.0201, Architecture, within the ARCHITECTURE AND RELATED SERVICES family. The official definition:
A program that prepares individuals for the independent professional practice of architecture and to conduct research in various aspects of the field. Includes instruction in architectural design, history, and theory; building structures and environmental systems; project and site planning; construction; professional responsibilities and standards; and related cultural, social, economic, and environmental issues.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What credential Architecture is awarded as
Of the 4,552 Architecture credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2024-25:
- Certificate: <1%, 28 credentials.
- Associate: 3%, 123 credentials.
- Bachelor's: 82%, 3,742 credentials.
- Graduate: 14%, 659 credentials.
CampusPin does not have enough states reporting this field to say whether the mix changes from state to state. See the full study.
Credentials conferred in 2024-25, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.
What you'll study
- Design studio: developing projects from concept through schematic and design-development drawings
- Architectural drawing, drafting, and physical and digital model-making
- CAD and BIM tools (such as Revit, AutoCAD, Rhino, and SketchUp)
- Building structures, statics, and how loads move through a building
- Environmental, mechanical, lighting, and acoustic systems for buildings
- Construction materials, methods, detailing, and building assemblies
- Architectural history and theory across periods and movements
- Site analysis, zoning, building codes, and accessibility (ADA) requirements
Typical careers
- Architects
- Architectural Designer
- Urban and Regional Planner
- Interior Designer
- Construction Manager
- Landscape Architect
Typical salary range: BLS, 2024 architects median $96,690Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.
How much do Architecture graduates earn?
Nationally, bachelor's graduates in Architecture earn a median $66,914 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $54,236 to $78,634 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard).
| Credential | National median | Middle half of programs |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | $66,914 | $54,236 to $78,634 |
| Master's | $74,139 | $62,872 to $86,117 |
| Professional degree | $74,323 | $65,081 to $88,126 |
Compare Architecture programs in your state
Highest-earning bachelor's Architecture programs
- Boston Architectural College (MA): $82,268, median federal debt $46,000
- Pratt Institute-Main (NY): $78,206
- California State Polytechnic University-Pomona (CA): $76,969, median federal debt $28,040
- The University of Texas at Austin (TX): $76,808, median federal debt $21,000
- University of California, Berkeley (CA): $76,679, median federal debt $15,000
- California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (CA): $76,613, median federal debt $27,500
- Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus (PA): $76,181, median federal debt $30,440
- University of Miami (FL): $75,633
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VA): $75,074, median federal debt $29,000
- University of Arizona (AZ): $74,972
Ordered by median earnings: one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality. Federal program group: Architecture. Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars, for graduates who received federal aid, worked and were not enrolled. Programs need at least 30 graduates in the earnings cohort to be listed; multi-state systems whose figures pool campuses are not listed. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 10 June 2026. How much the college matters, by major. Graduate programs over the new federal loan caps.
Related occupations
Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Architecture, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.
| Occupation | Median pay | Openings / yr | Projected change | Most entrants hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $167,740 | 14,500 | +3.8% | Bachelor's degree |
| Architects, Except Landscape and Naval | $96,690 | 7,800 | +3.9% | Bachelor's degree |
| Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary | $101,480 | 900 | +2% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 3 of these 3 occupations report a median wage.
“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Architecture does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.
Before you commit to a Architecture major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Architecture program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Architecture department
- Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
- What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
- What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
- Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?
Ask current students & check the curriculum
- How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
- What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
- Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
- How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Find a Architecture program
CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.
Colleges that awarded the most Architecture credentials
Largest by credentials conferred in 2024-25. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- Texas Tech University, TX · 209 credentials
- Arizona State University Campus Immersion, AZ · 205 credentials
- University of Florida, FL · 153 credentials
- Texas A & M University-College Station, TX · 151 credentials
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI · 151 credentials
- The University of Texas at San Antonio, TX · 145 credentials
- The University of Texas at Arlington, TX · 133 credentials
- Clemson University, SC · 126 credentials
- California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, CA · 116 credentials
- University of Houston, TX · 112 credentials
- North Dakota State University-Main Campus, ND · 109 credentials
- University of California-Berkeley, CA · 108 credentials
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2024-25. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Where Architecture credentials were awarded
6 states have a distinct enough set of Architecture colleges to be worth its own page.
Every Architecture program with its own CampusPin page
33 programs in 19 states, A to Z by state and then by college. Each page gives what the program's graduates earned four years after finishing, what they borrowed in federal loans, the monthly payment, and how the program compares with others in its state and the nation. The figure beside each college is the median for its largest credential with at least 30 graduates (U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23). The list is alphabetical; it is not a ranking.
Architecture programs in Arkansas, 1 program
- University of Arkansas Bachelor's, $67,955
Architecture programs in California, 4 programs
- California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Bachelor's, $76,613
- California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Bachelor's, $76,969
- University of California, Berkeley Bachelor's, $76,679
- Woodbury University Bachelor's, $67,517
Architecture programs in Florida, 3 programs
- Florida International University Master's, $68,932
- University of Florida Bachelor's, $67,399
- University of South Florida Master's, $70,924
Architecture programs in Illinois, 3 programs
- Illinois Institute of Technology Bachelor's, $68,358
- Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Master's, $78,062
- University of Illinois Chicago Bachelor's, $56,975
Architecture programs in Iowa, 1 program
- Iowa State University Bachelor's, $69,310
Architecture programs in Maryland, 1 program
- University of Maryland, College Park Bachelor's, $68,527
Architecture programs in Michigan, 1 program
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Bachelor's, $65,015
Architecture programs in Minnesota, 1 program
- University of Minnesota Twin Cities Bachelor's, $62,246
Architecture programs in Nebraska, 1 program
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bachelor's, $62,700
Architecture programs in New York, 1 program
- University at Buffalo Bachelor's, $61,525
Architecture programs in North Carolina, 1 program
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte Bachelor's, $67,204
Architecture programs in North Dakota, 1 program
- North Dakota State University-Main Campus Bachelor's, $65,148
Architecture programs in Ohio, 3 programs
- Kent State University at Kent Bachelor's, $59,299
- Ohio State University-Main Campus Bachelor's, $66,131
- University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Bachelor's, $65,449
Architecture programs in Oregon, 1 program
- University of Oregon Bachelor's, $67,425
Architecture programs in Pennsylvania, 1 program
- Drexel University Bachelor's, $72,915
Architecture programs in South Carolina, 1 program
- Clemson University Bachelor's, $63,892
Architecture programs in Texas, 6 programs
- Texas A & M University-College Station Bachelor's, $64,643
- Texas Tech University Bachelor's, $63,871
- The University of Texas at Arlington Bachelor's, $62,345
- The University of Texas at Austin Bachelor's, $76,808
- The University of Texas at San Antonio Bachelor's, $57,778
- University of Houston Bachelor's, $70,616
Architecture programs in Virginia, 1 program
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Bachelor's, $75,074
Architecture programs in Wisconsin, 1 program
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Bachelor's, $62,803
Related majors
Civil Engineering
Civil Engineering applies physics, mechanics, and design to the built environment, roads, bridges, water systems, and buildings, suiting students who want to plan and build public infrastructure.
Graphic Design
Graphic Design teaches students to communicate ideas visually through typography, layout, and imagery, suiting people who want to combine creativity with craft across print and digital media.
Environmental Science
Environmental Science combines biology, chemistry, geology, and policy to address climate, conservation, water, and pollution challenges.
Engineering
Engineering majors apply math, physics, and design to build the physical and digital systems that power society, from bridges and chips to medical devices and aircraft.
Put this major in context
The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Architecture degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.
Explore Management careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
Explore Engineering & Architecture careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
How one major leads to many careers
Why a single Architecture degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.
Why a median wage is not a starting salary
How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.
When accreditation and licensure matter
How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Architecture path before you enroll.
Does a pricier college pay off?
How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.
Does picking a major narrow your college list?
Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.
Certificate or degree?
What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.
How this guide is sourced
This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.