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Architecture Degrees

An architecture degree prepares an individual with skills and knowledge to begin a career as an architect. Through an architectural program, students will be exposed to the various aspects of architecture, including structural engineering, aesthetics, building codes and so on.

Architecture students must be able to bring together a cross section of educational disciplines and apply them to the design and development of a structure. Most individuals pursuing a degree in architecture will do so through a five-year architecture program, while others may enter into a master's program due to their educational background and experience.

Career Summary

MEDIAN SALARY

$81,920

PERCENT ABOVE NATIONAL
INCOME AVERAGE

54.76%

TOTAL SECTOR EMPLOYMENT

119,280

Degree Median Salary vs Adjacent Degree Types

Source: BLS, US Census, and IPEDS

2024 Best Architecture Degree

Harvard University offers qualified students access to a top ranked degree in architecture.  This renown program provides students with key knowledge of creative imagination, practical realization, and social use as related to the architecture discipline. The program comprises material structure occupation and the dynamic process that shapes human action and experience. Integrating technical and humanistic methods of inquiry with written and visual modes of representation. The facilities in the institution are among the best at any universities in the world. Architecture studies have two broad areas of emphasis: History and Theory & Design Studies.

Acceptance Rate

4.64

Student to Faculty Ratio

7:1

The architecture degree at Princeton University offers academic pathways that include undergraduate, Master's, and Doctoral degrees. The program is known for its rigorous and interdisciplinary approach to the profession. The master's degree has a professional and a post-professional track, emphasizing design expertise in the context of architectural scholarship. The doctoral program highly focuses on the history, theory, and criticism of architecture, urbanism, landscape, and building technology. 

Acceptance Rate

5.78

Student to Faculty Ratio

5:1

Yale University offers a top rated major in architecture that is specifically is structured around a broad curriculum, state-of-the-art resources, and a variety of programs and events to cultivate design explorations, visual inquiry, and critical discourse. Offering studios in design and labs in urbanism, together with lectures and seminars. It is complemented by various programs, activities, and informal events, which include opportunities for student travel, exhibitions of student work, and open studios. Through the comprehensive range of events, resources, and curricular offerings, the program contributes to a uniquely collegial community of students and faculty. The institution also offers a variety of graduate programs, reaching the doctorate level, each of which has its own admissions guidelines and standards.

Acceptance Rate

6.08

Student to Faculty Ratio

6:1

Columbia University in the city of New York's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP) offers students expertise in the current state-of-the-art in architecture and the capacity to change the field and redefine it. The curriculum stresses the necessity of understanding and challenging the underlying history, premises, and future directions of the design professions. Preparing students to become accomplished practitioners in their respective fields. They participate in the ongoing shaping of knowledge about the built environment and learn to see architecture as one among many forms of cultural production, complementing the liberal arts mission of expansive thinking.

Acceptance Rate

5.45

Student to Faculty Ratio

6:1

The University of Pennsylvania's undergraduate degree in architecture was established to offer opportunities for students to study architecture on various levels of engagement. Major in Architecture offers three concentrations in the study of architecture: Design, History & Theory, and Intensive Design. Minor in Architecture consists of a three-semester sequence of design studios in Architecture and two courses in the History of Art. The institution offers an interdisciplinary approach to learning through many different programs including its on and off-campus study opportunities for cross-disciplinary or joint-major degrees at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels.

Acceptance Rate

7.66

Student to Faculty Ratio

6:1

Brown University offers qualified students a highly competitive architecture degree program.  The program is constructed to help provide students with a planned concentration with the explicit goal of connecting architectural training firmly with the humanities and providing a greater awareness of global, environmental, social, and economic issues in the built environment. This unique approach is meant to provide students the tools needed in today's urban global society. The program allows them to develop a broad understanding of the concepts and methods for the planning and design of buildings, landscapes, and cities. Students who complete a specific track within the concentration will have the option of transitioning into a 2-year Masters of Architecture program.

Acceptance Rate

7.07

Student to Faculty Ratio

6:1

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) architecture program provides students scientific frameworks and inventions, social, and humanistic insights, new methods of thinking, and making. Their discipline is profoundly shaped by irrational creativity and inescapable political realities. Its undergraduate and professional degree connect groups as their faculty work together to model architecture's unique integration of diverse modes of thinking and making. The Department of Architecture in the institution is one of five divisions within the MIT School of Architecture + Planning.

Acceptance Rate

6.7

Student to Faculty Ratio

3:1

Cornell University has a highly regarded architecture major for students to assess.  It is one of the oldest and most respected architecture programs in the United States. Providing a solid foundation in the history, theory, and practice of architecture. The students and faculty have opportunities to take advantage of the university's world-class library collection. The department's core curricula are implemented by faculty from a variety of fields related to the discipline including architectural design, history of architecture and urban development, architectural theory, technology, and representation, and landscape architecture. Their research is cutting-edge, with research programs being highly interdisciplinary.

Acceptance Rate

10.85

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

The architecture degree at Rice University is known for its intimate program and hands-on learning.  In fact, the small 5-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio encourages a close-knit community that provides undergraduate and graduate students with thoughtful instruction for future architects.  The architecture degree program includes design itself as the central focus for testing architecture's multiple facets. The institution's position within a top-tier university allows them to draw extensively from other disciplines to forge new territories of speculative practice. It is a nonprofit private institution located in Houston, Texas, and provides a large number of program options for students.

Acceptance Rate

8.72

Student to Faculty Ratio

N.A

Washington University in St. Louis' College of Architecture offers rigorous graduate and undergraduate programs in architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design while drawing from the resources of a top-tier research institution. Students have the opportunity to work closely with their distinguished faculty, using expansive studios and spaces for making, as well as the St. Louis region itself. Through their critical thinking, research, and cutting-edge programs, the Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design provides students the means to improve the world. The program focuses on environmental ethics, historical and global perspectives, innovation, and technological fluency, providing students with experiences that will allow them to be great leaders in their fields. The College of Architecture offers a rigorous architecture program within a dynamic, cross-disciplinary campus. Students can earn a degree with a more architecture-intensive experience (the BS in Architecture) or one with a broader liberal arts base (the BA in Architecture). Students graduate with the tools to design beautiful, innovative, and sustainable architectural environments and become more creative thinkers and designers.

Acceptance Rate

13.85

Student to Faculty Ratio

7:1

The University of Notre Dame's School of Architecture offers targeted curriculum for students enrolled in its world-class architecture degree program.  Specifically, it is focused on traditional architecture and urbanism, and its dedication to principles that encourage community, a sense of place, and a built environment designed at a human scale. The program emphasizes the principles of the traditional city and its architecture as a prism through which to learn about and solve the problems of modern life. Providing student’s the timeless skills that serve as the basis for exceptional design. Skills that are transferable to a wide range of applications, allowing them to explore their creative limits to express their individuality. The institution's Roman Catholic affiliation is one of its defining characteristics and plays an essential role within the school's mission.

Acceptance Rate

15.83

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

Tufts University offers qualified students access to a top-rated Architectural Studies program that is designed to enable students to think critically, historically, and as broadly as possible about the built environment. Students in the program gain a deeper understanding of the built environment from multiple perspectives through the development of basic skills. The institution provides a variety of degree programs for students to assist them in their growth and development. The program's signature multidisciplinary curriculum takes full advantage of Tufts' unique assets as a liberal arts college. Architectural Studies students are prepared for graduate study in architecture and related areas.

Acceptance Rate

14.95

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

Barnard College offers a highly regarded architecture degree program for students of all ages and abilities.  It provides students an intellectual context to interpret the relation of form, space, program, materials, and media to human life and thought. The institution has a liberal arts curriculum that exposes students to a variety of topics and subjects. The purpose of an undergraduate liberal arts education is to educate students to think about and through architecture. The program introduces design at all scales and balances the traditions of handcrafted representation with evolving digital technologies of architectural design and communication. Students have the opportunity to study with peers from countries around the world in one of the most diverse cities in the world.

Acceptance Rate

11.77

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

The architecture degree program at the University of Southern California (USC) has been recognized as a leading program in the field.  USC’s degree in architecture is a dynamic platform for educating and inspiring citizen architects to analyze problems and create design solutions that respond to the challenges of our time and embrace the promise of a better-built environment. The institution attracts many international students and also offers many studies abroad programs and internships. The result of their interdisciplinary approach is that USC Architecture graduates are uniquely equipped to tackle the complexities of the built environment and bring new meaning to a tradition of great design. They firmly believe that great architecture, landscapes, and cities find their most powerful expression through their impact on the persons who inhabit them and experience them.

Acceptance Rate

11.42

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

Middlebury College's Department of History of Art & Architecture combines the study of the history and theory of architecture with a rigorous sequence of studio courses in architectural design taught by practicing architects. Students usually augment their on-campus study with study abroad, either English or in a Foreign language. Studio courses in architectural design are enriched by visits from nationally renowned architects who work directly with students. The institution offers an undergraduate education and assists students in developing important skills useful in pursuit of graduate education or employment.

Acceptance Rate

15.36

Student to Faculty Ratio

8:1

The University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) has curated an architecture degree program that is embedded within the School of the Arts and Architecture.  The spirit and intent of this program is to help students pursue their passion, master their crafts, and rise to every occasion at one of the top art schools in the United States. Providing an atmosphere that celebrates the creative process and a curriculum dedicated to the support and nurturing of dreams. The institution is considered among the best public universities in the country. Students study with a star-studded faculty that includes visionaries that guides them in the course.

Acceptance Rate

12.32

Student to Faculty Ratio

18:1

The University of Virginia (UVA) major in architecture provides students a comprehensive body of knowledge that addresses the most pressing historical and current spatial challenges confronting society. Addressed through a rigorous design studio sequence, that embodies a diversity of approaches, scales, methods, and instruments affiliated with design. The curriculum is enhanced by an expansive set of courses. One of the goals of the institution was to develop leaders and foster leadership through many areas of study.  Learn more about the UVA degree in architecture today by collecting vital admissions information from the school. 

Acceptance Rate

23.94

Student to Faculty Ratio

15:1

The University of California-Berkeley's Department of Architecture has a strong tradition of fostering design and research. Their faculty provides rigorous undergraduate and graduate programs and carries out leading research in constructed and speculative environments, architectural technologies, and architectural humanities. The interdisciplinary interest of faculty and graduate students forms the basis of exciting new research collaborations with a variety of other disciplines. The institution's Center for Student Leadership also provides programs that provide leadership development models and theories.

Acceptance Rate

16.25

Student to Faculty Ratio

20:1

The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor's Architecture program is under Taubman College, it recognizes the multiplicity and changing nature of future roles to the architect and urban designer. The institution is recognized as one of the top public universities worldwide and holds one of the highest budgets among research universities in the United States. The program is designed to prepare students to perceive the ordered relationship of people and their environment and to translate this order into the design for the enrichment of human experience. Preparing them to participate actively in the design of buildings, cities, and the physical environment.

Acceptance Rate

22.91

Student to Faculty Ratio

11:1

Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art's School of Architecture provides students the finest professional education available within an intellectual environment that fosters and expands their creative capacities and sensibilities. Building a strong foundation of knowledge for a creative professional life. Committed to the belief that one of society's prime responsibilities is toward learning and education in the deepest sense. Maintaining an atmosphere in which freedom of thought and exploration can flourish, where students can explore and utilize their strengths and individual talents, interests, and modes of working, to their highest potential.          

Acceptance Rate

15.45

Student to Faculty Ratio

6:1

Carnegie Mellon University's Architecture has two undergraduate degree programs the Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) and Bachelor of Arts in Architecture (B.A.). Both programs start with the same studio-based curriculum in the first year. These programs prepare students to excel in practice and also launch them into key specialties within the profession. The institution is a nonprofit private institution, offering a variety of program options, allowing students to choose which major is right for them.

Acceptance Rate

15.44

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

Tulane University of Louisiana's School of Architecture generates and applies knowledge that addresses the urgent challenges of humankind. They do this by educating committed professionals to creatively manage complexity and transform the world through the practices of architecture, urbanism, and preservation. The institution offers a large number of educational opportunities. They allow their students to choose their major that they are interested in.  Learn more about the Tulane architecture degree today by collecting information from the admissions department.

Acceptance Rate

12.87

Student to Faculty Ratio

8:1

Wellesley College offers a renown architecture major program provides students the knowledge of the historical, political, economic, and cultural contexts that have shaped architecture and urban form across time and in diverse cultures and geographies. Demonstrating a deeper understanding of the historically and geographically specific design and construction methods and building typologies. Students may elect courses in art, mathematics, and physics that lead to the appreciation of the principles of design and the fundamental techniques of architecture. They are required to work with an advisor in their main area of concentration to work out a specific program of study.  

Acceptance Rate

21.56

Student to Faculty Ratio

8:1

Georgia Institute of Technology's School of Architecture is a highly regarded academic department lauded by both professionals in the field and alumni of the program.  The architecture program brings and researches into a creative tension where innovation thrives. Students are exposed to the kinds of cutting-edge research, the new technologies, and techniques that are redefining the field of architecture. The institution offers many prestigious, nationally recognized programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Their faculty is comprised of leaders in many fields and recipients of many awards.

Acceptance Rate

20.58

Student to Faculty Ratio

18:1

Northeastern University's Architecture degree provides students with focused, intensive training in the disciplines of architecture and landscape architecture, and the tools to bring that expertise to bear on effective global engagement. The School of Architecture's undergraduate and graduate programs is dedicated to furnishing every student with a deep understanding of the field's fundamentals while developing a holistic perspective of architecture's vast scope and impact. The faculty bring real-world experience to the classroom and take an interdisciplinary approach to their teaching and their research. Graduates leave well equipped to engage the evolving challenges of society and the physical environment.

Acceptance Rate

18.05

Student to Faculty Ratio

14:1

How to Become an Architect

To become an architect, you will need to follow a series of steps we have detailed below. The process is critical to follow as variations can exist from state to state which makes research and detail orientation critical to the process. The steps to become an architect include:

Step 1 – Research Architecture Design Schools

Initially, would-be architects will need to begin by finding applicable colleges. Locating accredited universities offering degrees in architecture has never been easier. In years past, you would wait for a magazine or book to be published and call each entity to learn about their programs. Today, you can simply utilize vast digital libraries like ours to locate all accredited colleges offering architecture in seconds. You can contact programs undergraduate from a college or search manually by name or quickly by using our degree matching portal.

Step 2 – Apply to Architectural Colleges

You will need to arrive at a manageable, short list of top programs in architecture to apply to. Invest time early in the process to understand the curricular approach, time involved in each program, financial aid packages, and online learning options. The burgeoning online learning model is quickly becoming the fastest growing segment within online learning in higher education.

The benefits of earning a degree online include flexibility, cost savings, access, accreditation, pace, and quality curricular design. As part of your college application, make sure to highlight all related work experience and extracurricular activities that help define who you are as an effort to help you stand out from the other applicants in a hypercompetitive pool of students.

Step 3 – Attend Architectural College

After gaining admissions to the school of your choice, you will attend an accredited college or university to begin your studies as an architect. Classes will begin shortly after you complete your school orientation and register for classes in your area of study. A bachelors degree will typically take students 4 years to complete while masters degrees will take an additional 2-3 years and PhD programs an additional 5-6 years of matriculation.

Step 4 – Graduate and Licensure

Upon graduating from an accredited college or university with your degree in architecture, you will be eligible to sit for licensure in your state of residence. Licensing examinations are mandated by your state and frequently offered by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) known as the ARE (Architect Registration Examination).

Step 5 – Work and Pursue Continuing Education

After earning your degree and meeting all state-specific licensure requirements, you are ready to find work in the field and begin your career. It is key to establishing a mentality of a lifelong learner and continue to learn about the field or architecture, upskill, and seek continuing education opportunities to grow in your field. Some states require architects to log a specific number of continuing education credits perpetually, so check with your state licensing board to learn more.

Education Needed to Become an Architect

The subjects studied to become an architect will vary from school to school but foundational courses will be essential to be an effective architect. The typical set of classed found in a course catalog for an architectural degree program include: architectural design studio, architectural design, trigonometry, physics, geometry, digital media, world architecture, environmental systems, construction, site planning, and information systems. A curriculum in architecture may include:

Top Architecture Degrees

There are a number of educational options for those considering a future in architecture.  The range of possible degree types include a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, doctoral degree, and a host of graduate certificate programs.  An overview of each is listed below of architecture degrees to provide you with a working understanding of each degree option.

Graduate Certificates in Architecture

A number of accredited colleges and universities offer graduate certificates in architecture to help professionals upskill and learn new disciplines.  Schools offer a variety of certificate programs that may be of interest to practitioners that include: sustainability, spatial analysis, urban development, healthy cities, and real estate.  A dual degree minor may be a viable consideration in addition to a certificate pathway.  To learn more about graduate certificates that may be best for you, requirements contact department from the best school for you below.

Bachelor Degree in Architecture

A bachelor’s degree in architecture is the four-year, entry-level degree program in architecture.  The bachelor’s degree is conferred to students as a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Architecture and provides a broad education in architecture.

Classes offered in a bachelor of science program will typically include the following types of classes: calculus, basic drawing, visual studies, graphic communications, physics, construction, design fundamentals, fabrication, CAD, computer modeling, environmental systems, and structures.

Students earning a bachelor’s degree in architecture can elect to minor in associated areas of study that include business, art, engineering, or social work depending on program availability and areas of specialties of interest.

Master Programs in Architectural Design

A master’s degree in architecture can be conferred as a Master of Architecture (M.Arch.), Master’s of Science in Architecture (MS), or Master’s in Urban Design (MUD) in 2-3 years depending on the program attended and number of classes taken at a given time.  A master’s degree is a rigorous course of study focusing on the application of theory, design, and production.

Coursework in architectural fabrication, history, design, and theory prepares students to create a research-based thesis project as the culmination of the degree program.   Elective classes may include a variety of exciting tracks in architecture that include classes such as construction, environmental technology, sustainable design, urbanism, digital fabrication, computation, design, material systems, and value engineering.

Doctorate Degree in Architecture

The doctorate degree in architecture is conferred to students as a PhD in Architecture and can be earned in 5-6 years of study after all lower-level prerequisites are met.  PhD programs investigate the discipline of architecture through a lens of past, present, and future to promote critical thinking, deep analytical skills, and research capabilities across broad fields of architecture and built environments.

Specialties in the doctorate track can include such areas of concentration as: theory, building technology, history, or design.  The program is culminated with a research-intensive dissertation on an approved, organic topic in the field of architecture.  Students with a PhD in Architecture will go on to perform research, teach, or join the business world in a variety of positions.

Employment Information for ARH Architects

Every state in the United States as well as London United Kingdom requires an architect to be licensed and all states require 3 years of experience under a professional prior to becoming eligible for licensure, some states may allow internship in related fields to apply toward their three years.

Most states require graduation from one of the nationally accredited architecture schools, though some states have different requirements, thus schools without such accreditation may still fulfill licensure requirements.

An architect is responsible for the design of a given structure, be it office building or residence. The architect will determine the cost of construction and work with contractors to turn designs and models into reality. An architect must do this within code and budget. Architects will also typically visit worksites and oversee construction to ensure that work and construction are with spec.

How Much Money Do Architects Make?

Median annual income for architects is currently $76,930 which translates to $36.99 per hour.  The top 10% of architects make $129,810 while the bottom ten percent make $46,600 annually.  Income earned from the architecture trade will vary by individual and by location.  Other common drivers of an architect's total compensation include education level, overall work experience, industry demand, reputation, portfolio of work, and areas of responsibility.

Top Paying States for Architects
Georgia $97,090
Massachusetts $95,900
California $95,070
New York $91,610
North Carolina $91,090
Top Employers of Architects
  • Architectural & Engineering Firms
  • Federal Government Agencies
  • Residential Building Companies
  • Local Government Agencies
  • Commercial Building Contractors
States with the Highest Employment of Architects
California 13,560
New York 12,550
Texas 8,520
Florida 4,800
Illinois 4,790

Resources for Architect Students

Individuals interested in architecture may also be interested in interior design, structural engineering and CAD. In addition, students may be interested in joining local chapters of popular architect associations that include the AIA, AAO, and ALA. Professional associations provide new and seasoned islands architects additional training, design department publications, networking opportunities, arch blog details, and unique vocational opportunities.

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