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# Best Architectural Engineering Programs in the United States

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Engineering Colleges in the United States](/rankings/best-engineering-colleges/)

This page ranks the 16 Architectural Engineering programs in the United States by the median earnings of Architectural Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. [Auburn University](/school/auburn-university/majors/) leads the list with median earnings of $97,759 for its graduates four years after completing.

Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $97,759 to $63,005, with a median of $87,298. For 1 of the 16 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions account for 12 of the 16 programs, or 75%, alongside 4 private nonprofits. [The University of Texas at Austin](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-austin/majors/) ranks 9th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the strongest showing on the list.

North Carolina A & T State University posts the lowest average net price, at $10,846.

## The ranked list

16 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Auburn University · Auburn, AL | $97,759 | $24,323 | $16,681 | 45.9% |
|  | [Auburn University](/school/auburn-university/majors/) ranks 1st on this list, reporting [median earnings of $97,759](/school/auburn-university/outcomes/) for its Architectural Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 2 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus · University Park, PA | $94,483 | $32,875 | $19,845 | 60.6% |
|  | [Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus](/school/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus/majors/) [admits 61% of applicants](/school/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus/admissions/) and its Architectural Engineering completers who borrowed left with a median of $31,000 in federal loans. |
| 3 | The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, TX | $93,710 | $19,857 | $12,553 | 26.6% |
|  | [The University of Texas at Austin](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-austin/majors/) carries an [average net price of $12,553](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-austin/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 and ranks 9th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 4 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA | $92,767 | $16,665 | $7,529 | 31.3% |
|  | [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/majors/) reports [median earnings of $92,767](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/outcomes/) for its Architectural Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $16,665. |
| 5 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus · Cincinnati, OH | $92,687 | $25,648 | $17,974 | 85.3% |
|  | [University of Cincinnati-Main Campus](/school/university-of-cincinnati-main-campus/majors/) ranks 5th on this list and reports a [median federal debt of $25,880](/school/university-of-cincinnati-main-campus/cost/) among Architectural Engineering completers who borrowed. |
| 6 | Kansas State University · Manhattan, KS | $91,336 | $19,406 | $13,178 | 81.7% |
|  | [Kansas State University](/school/kansas-state-university/majors/) [admits 82% of applicants](/school/kansas-state-university/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $91,336 for its Architectural Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 7 | University of Colorado Boulder · Boulder, CO | $89,797 | $25,346 | $14,231 | 78.1% |
|  | [University of Colorado Boulder](/school/university-of-colorado-boulder/majors/) carries an [average net price of $14,231](/school/university-of-colorado-boulder/cost/) for families earning under $30,000, and its Architectural Engineering completers who borrowed left with a median of $14,500 in federal loans. |
| 8 | Milwaukee School of Engineering · Milwaukee, WI | $88,756 | $22,453 | $11,607 | 58.9% |
|  | [Milwaukee School of Engineering](/school/milwaukee-school-of-engineering/majors/), a private nonprofit institution, reports [median earnings of $88,756](/school/milwaukee-school-of-engineering/outcomes/) for its Architectural Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 9 | Drexel University · Philadelphia, PA | $85,839 | $38,509 | $28,055 | 79.4% |
|  | [Drexel University](/school/drexel-university/majors/) ranks 9th on this list and carries an [average net price of $38,509](/school/drexel-university/cost/). |
| 10 | Missouri University of Science and Technology · Rolla, MO | $85,754 | $16,298 | $10,912 | 72.6% |
|  | [Missouri University of Science and Technology](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/majors/) reports [median earnings of $85,754](/school/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology/outcomes/) for its Architectural Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $10,912 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 11 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute · Worcester, MA | $85,112 | $43,071 | $24,018 | 60.2% |
|  | [Worcester Polytechnic Institute](/school/worcester-polytechnic-institute/majors/), a private nonprofit institution, [admits 60% of applicants](/school/worcester-polytechnic-institute/admissions/) and reports a median federal debt of $27,000 among Architectural Engineering completers who borrowed. |
| 12 | University of Kansas · Lawrence, KS | $84,319 | $18,059 | $12,544 | 93.5% |
|  | [University of Kansas](/school/university-of-kansas/majors/) carries an [average net price of $18,059](/school/university-of-kansas/cost/) and reports median earnings of $84,319 for its Architectural Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 13 | University of Wyoming · Laramie, WY | $82,143 | $13,599 | $7,977 | 96.9% |
|  | With an [admission rate of 97%](/school/university-of-wyoming/admissions/), [University of Wyoming](/school/university-of-wyoming/majors/) reports median earnings of $82,143 for its Architectural Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 14 | North Carolina A & T State University · Greensboro, NC | $73,826 | $10,846 | $8,223 | 49.9% |
|  | [North Carolina A & T State University](/school/north-carolina-a-t-state-university/majors/) graduates left with a [median of $28,608](/school/north-carolina-a-t-state-university/outcomes/) in federal loans among Architectural Engineering completers who borrowed, alongside median earnings of $73,826 four years after completing. |
| 15 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville · Kingsville, TX | $70,912 | $12,090 | $10,207 | 90.9% |
|  | [Texas A&M University-Kingsville](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/majors/) ranks 15th on this list and shows [median earnings of $70,912](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/outcomes/) for its Architectural Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 16 | Illinois Institute of Technology · Chicago, IL | $63,005 | $18,425 | $12,964 | 54.9% |
|  | A private nonprofit institution in Chicago, [Illinois Institute of Technology](/school/illinois-institute-of-technology/majors/) posts an [average net price of $12,964](/school/illinois-institute-of-technology/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Architectural Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the United States appear. The figures cover federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 1 of the 16 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The spread from Auburn University to the bottom of the list is $34,754, and the gap between Auburn University and Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is $3,276.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Engineering Colleges in the United States](/rankings/best-engineering-colleges/)
-   Engineering Colleges for Social Mobility