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Architecture

Types of Degrees Architecture Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Architecture may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	97
Bachelor’s Degree	3,576
Master’s Degree	754
Doctor’s Degree	77

What Architecture Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

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

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Building and Construction — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

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

Skills

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

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

Abilities

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

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Architecture graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.6 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Communicating with People Outside the Organization	4.1 / 7
Processing Information	4.1 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Architecture professionals:

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

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Architecture graduates include:

• Landscape Architecture Teacher
• Interior Design Professor
• Architectural Drafting Instructor
• University Faculty Member
• Faculty Member
• Architecture Faculty Member
• Architecture Instructor
• Professor
• Assistant Professor
• College Faculty Member
• Interior Design Instructor
• Architecture Professor
• Lecturer
• Architectural Design Professor
• Instructor

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	38.0%
Master’s degree	21.4%
Doctoral degree	14.6%
First professional degree	14.1%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	6.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.1%
Post-master’s certificate	1.6%
Postsecondary certificate	1.4%
Post-doctoral training	0.4%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.4%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Architecture?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 51.2% women and 48.8% men among Architecture graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	2,305	51.2%
Men	2,199	48.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	2,075	46.1%
Asian	385	8.5%
Hispanic or Latino	1,108	24.6%
Black or African American	322	7.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	13	0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	3	0.1%
Two or More Races	166	3.7%
Race Unknown	98	2.2%
International Students	334	7.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Architecture Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of 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	$50,115
4 years	$63,317
5 years	$70,885

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $70,885 — roughly 41% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Architecture Programs

Distance learning are documented by IPEDS for Architecture. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	3	2
Bachelor’s	1	1
Master’s	2	2

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Architecture Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Architecture graduates earn a median of $63,317 four years after completion — roughly 67% 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
Architecture	04.02
Architectural Design	04.0202
Architecture, Other	04.0299
Architecture	04.0200
Environmental Design/Architecture	04.0401
Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology	04.0902
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning	04.0301
Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture	04.0402
Interior Architecture	04.0501
Landscape Architecture	04.0601

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.