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Environmental Architecture

Types of Degrees Environmental Architecture Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Environmental Architecture have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	4
Bachelor’s Degree	549
Master’s Degree	66
Doctor’s Degree	39

What Environmental Architecture Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Environmental Architecture build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Environmental Architecture graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Environmental Architecture emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Design — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Building and Construction — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Environmental Architecture program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Environmental Architecture careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Environmental Architecture graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Communicating with People Outside the Organization	4.1 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.0 / 7
Processing Information	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Environmental Architecture professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Adobe Illustrator	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Autodesk Revit	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Adobe Creative Cloud software	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Environmental Architecture graduates include:

• Project Architect
• Planner
• Assistant Professor
• Architecture Instructor
• Architectural Design Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Architectural Drafting Instructor
• College Professor
• Associate Professor
• College Faculty Member
• Landscape Architecture Professor
• Lecturer
• Architecture Professor
• Interior Design Professor
• Interior Design Faculty Member

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Environmental Architecture graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	43.5%
Master’s degree	19.5%
Doctoral degree	12.9%
First professional degree	12.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	5.3%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.0%
Post-master’s certificate	1.4%
Postsecondary certificate	1.2%
Post-doctoral training	0.4%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Environmental Architecture?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 57% women and 43% men among Environmental Architecture graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	375	57.0%
Men	283	43.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Environmental Architecture graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	314	47.7%
Asian	57	8.7%
Hispanic or Latino	137	20.8%
Black or African American	28	4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native	5	0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.2%
Two or More Races	30	4.6%
Race Unknown	15	2.3%
International Students	71	10.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Environmental Architecture Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Environmental Architecture graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$40,905
4 years	$52,970
5 years	$59,648

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $59,648 — roughly 46% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Environmental Architecture Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Environmental Architecture graduates earn a median of $52,970 four years after completion — roughly 39% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Environmental Design	04.04
Environmental Design, Other	04.0499
Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture	04.0402
Sustainable Design/Architecture	04.0403
Architectural Design	04.0202
Architecture	04.0201
Landscape Architecture	04.0601
Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology	04.0902
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning	04.0301
Interior Architecture	04.0501

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.