[College research](/) / [Rankings](/rankings/) # Best Architecture Colleges in California (2026) Updated September 30, 2026 Programs in this field[Architecture](/rankings/best-architecture-programs-in-california/) This page ranks the 10 schools in California for Architecture by the median earnings of Architecture graduates four years after completing. [University of Southern California](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/) leads the list. Across the 6 schools with a published median, the figures range from $77,401 at Art Center College of Design to $31,305, with a median of $58,348. For 3 of the 10 listed programs the median is measured two years after completing rather than four. The list is evenly split between 5 public and 5 private nonprofit institutions. University of California-Berkeley ranks 4th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. California State University-Sacramento posts the lowest average net price on the page at $9,338. ## The ranked list 10 schools in list order | Rank | School | Median Architecture Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | No published median | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% | | | [University of Southern California](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/), a private nonprofit university in Los Angeles, [ranks 92nd on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/university-of-southern-california/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports a six-year completion rate of 92%. | | | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Real Estate Development (100 graduates), Architectural Sciences and Technology (70 graduates), Architecture (7 graduates) | | 2 | Art Center College of Design · Pasadena, CA | $77,401 | $48,661 | $39,645 | 74.5% | | | Art Center College of Design posts median earnings of $77,401 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing, the top figure among the 6 schools with a reported earnings cohort. | | | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architectural Sciences and Technology (22 graduates) | | 3 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona · Pomona, CA | $73,961 | $11,531 | $7,851 | 75.2% | | | With an [average net price of $11,531,](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/cost/) [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/majors/) reports a six-year completion rate of 68% and median earnings of $73,961 four years after completing. | | | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architecture (107 graduates), Landscape Architecture (66 graduates), City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning (37 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Architecture ($76,969), City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning ($72,704), Landscape Architecture ($69,790) | | 4 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | No published median | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% | | | [University of California-Berkeley](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/majors/) [admits 11% of applicants](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/admissions/) and carries an average net price of $5,311 for families earning under $30,000. | | | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architecture (113 graduates), Environmental Design (19 graduates), Landscape Architecture (18 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Architecture ($76,679) | | 5 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA | No published median | $16,665 | $7,529 | 31.3% | | | [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/majors/) [ranks 58th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows a six-year completion rate of 86%. | | | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architectural Sciences and Technology (180 graduates), City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning (36 graduates), Landscape Architecture (27 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Landscape Architecture ($68,795) | | 6 | California State University-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA | $61,410 | $9,338 | $6,501 | 94.0% | | | Reporting [median earnings of $61,410](/school/california-state-university-sacramento/outcomes/) four years after completing, [California State University-Sacramento](/school/california-state-university-sacramento/majors/) carries an average net price of $9,338, the lowest on the page. | | | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Interior Architecture (49 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Interior Architecture ($61,410) | | 7 | University of San Francisco · San Francisco, CA | $55,286 | $41,431 | $31,537 | 61.7% | | | [University of San Francisco](/school/university-of-san-francisco/majors/) reports [median earnings of $55,286](/school/university-of-san-francisco/outcomes/) for its Architecture graduates two years after completing and an admission rate of 62%. | | | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architecture (25 graduates) | | 8 | University of San Diego · San Diego, CA | $52,107 | $30,365 | $15,586 | 52.4% | | | An [average net price of $15,586](/school/university-of-san-diego/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 coincides with a six-year completion rate of 84% at [University of San Diego](/school/university-of-san-diego/majors/). | | | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation (17 graduates) | | 9 | Woodbury University · Burbank, CA | No published median | $33,692 | $28,815 | 81.7% | | | [Woodbury University](/school/woodbury-university/majors/) [ranks 961st on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/woodbury-university/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and admits 82% of applicants. | | | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architectural Sciences and Technology (67 graduates), Interior Architecture (9 graduates) | | 10 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $31,305 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% | | | [University of California-Los Angeles](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/majors/) reports [median earnings of $31,305](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/outcomes/) for its Architecture graduates two years after completing and an admission rate of 9%. | | | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architecture (34 graduates) | ## How this list is ordered Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Architecture graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported Architecture earnings cohort in California appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 3 of the 10 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 range and median below cover the 6 schools with a published figure. The spread from University of Southern California to the lowest listed earner is $46,096. ## Related rankings - Architecture Colleges - [Best Colleges in California](/rankings/best-colleges-in-california/) - [Best Architecture Colleges in Texas](/rankings/best-architecture-colleges-in-texas/) - [Best Architecture Colleges in Pennsylvania](/rankings/best-architecture-colleges-in-pennsylvania/) - [Best Architecture Colleges in Ohio](/rankings/best-architecture-colleges-in-ohio/) - [Best Architecture Colleges in New York](/rankings/best-architecture-colleges-in-new-york/) - Architecture Colleges in California for Social Mobility