Architecture: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Architecture graduates earn a median $66,914 four years after finishing — $18,554/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,906/yr net price ($67,624 over four years), that pays back in about 3.6 years. Federal data pools 121 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 3,698 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Notre Dame | IN | $82,983 |
| 2 | Pratt Institute-Main | NY | $78,206 |
| 3 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | CA | $76,969 |
| 4 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | $76,808 |
| 5 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | NC | $76,695 |
| 6 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $76,679 |
| 7 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | CA | $76,613 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | PA | $76,181 |
| 9 | University of Miami | FL | $75,633 |
| 10 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | NY | $75,551 |
| 11 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | VA | $75,074 |
| 12 | University of Arizona | AZ | $74,972 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.