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General Architecture Major

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General Architecture

3,795 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
903 Master's Degrees Annually
#93 in Popularity
$99,320 Median Salary

Types of Degrees General Architecture Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many general architecture graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree 3,795
Master’s Degree 903
Doctor’s Degree 111
Associate Degree 91
Graduate Certificate 82

What General Architecture Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to architecture and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Architecture Majors

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

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  • 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.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Skills for Architecture Majors

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

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  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • 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.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Abilities for Architecture Majors

As you progress with your architecture degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

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  • 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.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

What Can You Do With a General Architecture Major?

People with a architecture degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval 4.2% $79,380
Architectural and Engineering Managers 5.5% $140,760
Architecture Professors 10.5% $86,980

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in General Architecture?

3,795 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
48% Percent Women
42% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 3,795 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in general architecture in 2021, making it rank #93 in popularity. According to recent stats this major attracts about equal numbers of men and women. Roughly 48% of the graduates are women, and 52% are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 323
Black or African American 261
Hispanic or Latino 828
White 1,854
International Students 293
Other Races/Ethnicities 236

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Architecture. About 7.7% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • China
  • South Korea
  • Canada
  • India
  • Saudi Arabia

How Much Do General Architecture Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

The U.S. Department of Education found that students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a bachelor’s degree in general architecture made a median starting salary of $46,312 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $39,645 (25th percentile) and $51,222 (75th percentile).

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We don’t know for sure if all of these people took jobs related to architecture so take that into consideration.

Salaries According to BLS

Architecture majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $88,860 to $148,970 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

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.

Median Salary for a General Architecture Major  ( 88860 to 148970 )
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250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some degrees associated with architecture may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for architecture careers below.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 2.9%
Bachelor’s Degree 47.1%
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. 6.9%
Master’s Degree 23.0%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. 1.1%
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. 9.1%
Doctoral Degree 10.0%

Online General Architecture Programs

In 2020-2021, 150 schools offered a architecture program of some type. 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) 1 0
Certificate (2-4 Years) 0 0
Associate’s Degree 17 3
Bachelor’s Degree 15 2
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 89 2
Post-Master’s 4 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 23 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 1 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in General Architecture Worth It?

The median salary for a architecture 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!

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

Major Number of Grads
Architectural Sciences & Technology 6,781
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.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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