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Architectural Engineering

Types of Degrees Architectural Engineering Majors Are Earning

Those studying Architectural Engineering have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	902
Master’s Degree	259
Doctor’s Degree	22

What Architectural Engineering Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Architectural Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.7 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Architectural Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Abilities

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

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Architectural Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Architectural Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD 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 Architectural Engineering graduates include:

• Lecturer
• Professor
• Associate Professor
• Assistant Professor
• University Faculty Member
• College Professor
• Instructor
• College Faculty Member
• Adjunct Instructor
• Adjunct Professor
• Machine Design Teacher
• Electronic Science Teacher
• Radio Engineering Teacher
• Motion and Time Study Teacher
• Manufacturing Engineering Professor

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	32.3%
Bachelor’s degree	27.8%
Master’s degree	11.6%
Post-doctoral training	7.1%
Post-master’s certificate	6.6%
First professional degree	3.7%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.6%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.1%
Postsecondary certificate	1.9%
Some college courses	1.4%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.6%
Less than a high school diploma	0.2%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Architectural Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 63.1% of Architectural Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	436	36.9%
Men	747	63.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	778	65.8%
Asian	62	5.2%
Hispanic or Latino	140	11.8%
Black or African American	58	4.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native	2	0.2%
Two or More Races	49	4.1%
Race Unknown	17	1.4%
International Students	77	6.5%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Architectural Engineering Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Architectural Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$76,177
4 years	$83,733
5 years	$94,005

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $94,005 — roughly 23% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Architectural Engineering Programs

Online study is tracked by IPEDS for Architectural Engineering. 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
Master’s	1	1

^{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 Architectural Engineering Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Architectural Engineering graduates earn a median of $83,733 four years after completion — roughly 120% 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
Engineering	14
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	14.02
Agricultural Engineering	14.03
Biochemical Engineering	14.43
Biological/Biosystems Engineering	14.45
Biomedical/Medical Engineering	14.05
Ceramic Sciences and Engineering	14.06
Chemical Engineering	14.07
Civil Engineering	14.08
Computer Engineering	14.09
Construction Engineering	14.33
Electrical and Computer Engineering	14.47

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.