Architectural Sciences

Types of Degrees Architectural Sciences Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many architectural sciences and technology graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	3,318
Bachelor’s Degree	2,719
Associate Degree	493
Basic Certificate	139
Undergraduate Certificate	64
Doctor’s Degree	30
Graduate Certificate	18

What Architectural Sciences Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, architect science majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Architect Science Majors

Architect Science majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Skills for Architect Science Majors

A major in architect science prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Abilities for Architect Science Majors

As a architect science major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

What Can You Do With a Architectural Sciences Major?

People with a architect science degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Architectural and Engineering Managers	5.5%	$140,760
Architectural Drafters	8.1%	$54,920
Architecture Professors	10.5%	$86,980

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Architectural Sciences?

This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 2,719 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in architectural sciences and technology in 2021, making it rank #113 in popularity. Roughly 47% of the graduates are women, and 53% are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of architect science majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	272
Black or African American	128
Hispanic or Latino	446
White	1,205
International Students	491
Other Races/Ethnicities	177

Geographic Diversity

Architect Science appeals to people across the globe. About 18.1% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• China
• India
• Saudi Arabia
• South Korea
• Iran

How Much Do Architectural Sciences Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that architectural sciences and technology students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a bachelor’s degree made a median starting salary of $50,472 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $42,375 (25th percentile) and $54,291 (75th percentile).

One thing to note here is that not all of these people may be working in careers related to architect science.

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $56,700 to $148,970 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to architect science. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Architectural Sciences

Some degrees associated with architect science may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to architect science have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	0.1%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	0.2%
Some College Courses	0.1%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	7.3%
Bachelor’s Degree	45.7%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	5.0%
Master’s Degree	25.0%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	5.0%
Doctoral Degree	10.9%

Online Architectural Sciences Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 180 schools offered some type of architectural sciences and technology program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	30	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	1	0
Associate’s Degree	78	0
Bachelor’s Degree	8	2
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	87	5
Post-Master’s	2	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	8	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Architectural Sciences Worth It?

The median salary for a architect science grad is $99,320 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 149% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,188,400 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Architectural Sciences

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to architect science.

Major	Number of Grads
General Architecture	4,982
Urban & Regional Planning	2,419
Landscape Architecture	905
Environmental Design	741
Interior Architecture	728
Real Estate Development	420
Architecture (Other)	202
Architectural History	147

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By SSR2000 under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.