Best Architecture Colleges in the West (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 24 Architecture programs in the West by median earnings of Architecture graduates four years after completing, highest first. University of Southern California holds the top spot, and University of Washington-Seattle Campus follows with $85,334 four years after completing.
Across the 11 schools with a reported figure, median earnings range from $85,334 to $31,305, with a median of $61,788. For 3 of the 11 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 79% of the list, with 19 public and 5 private nonprofit schools represented. California State University-Sacramento posts the lowest average net price at $9,338.
University of California-Berkeley holds the strongest Azimuth composite rank, placing 4th among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| 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 ranks 1st on this list, reports an admission rate of 10%, and graduates 92% within six years. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Real Estate Development (100 graduates), Architectural Sciences and Technology (70 graduates), Architecture (7 graduates) | |||||
| 2 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Seattle, WA | $85,334 | $14,091 | $6,384 | 39.2% |
| With median earnings of $85,334 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing, University of Washington-Seattle Campus posts an average net price of $14,091. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architectural Sciences and Technology (74 graduates), Architecture (68 graduates), City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning (22 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Architectural Sciences and Technology ($103,414), City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning ($73,413), Architecture ($69,515) | |||||
| 3 | Art Center College of Design · Pasadena, CA | $77,401 | $48,661 | $39,645 | 74.5% |
| Art Center College of Design reports median earnings of $77,401 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 75%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architectural Sciences and Technology (22 graduates) | |||||
| 4 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona · Pomona, CA | $73,961 | $11,531 | $7,851 | 75.2% |
| An average net price of $11,531 coincides with median earnings of $73,961 for Architecture graduates four years after completing at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona. | |||||
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) | |||||
| 5 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | No published median | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
| University of California-Berkeley ranks 4th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports an average net price of $13,481. | |||||
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) | |||||
| 6 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas · Las Vegas, NV | No published median | $10,359 | $8,526 | 96.2% |
| Admitting 96% of applicants, University of Nevada-Las Vegas reports an average net price of $10,359 and a six-year completion rate of 51%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architecture (26 graduates), Interior Architecture (22 graduates), Landscape Architecture (7 graduates) | |||||
| 7 | University of Oregon · Eugene, OR | No published median | $22,182 | $15,909 | 88.3% |
| An average net price of $15,909 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with a 72% six-year completion rate at University of Oregon. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architectural Sciences and Technology (66 graduates), Landscape Architecture (12 graduates), Interior Architecture (11 graduates) | |||||
| 8 | Montana State University · Bozeman, MT | $64,133 | $22,499 | $17,797 | 82.1% |
| Montana State University posts median earnings of $64,133 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 82%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architectural Sciences and Technology (29 graduates) | |||||
| 9 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA | No published median | $16,665 | $7,529 | 31.3% |
| A public institution in San Luis Obispo, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo graduates 86% within six years and admits 31% of applicants. | |||||
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) | |||||
| 10 | Portland State University · Portland, OR | $62,349 | $9,552 | $7,655 | 90.9% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 53%, Portland State University reports median earnings of $62,349 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architecture (57 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Architecture ($62,349) | |||||
| 11 | University of Colorado Boulder · Boulder, CO | $61,788 | $25,346 | $14,231 | 78.1% |
| University of Colorado Boulder reports median earnings of $61,788 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 78%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Environmental Design (150 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Environmental Design ($61,788) | |||||
| 12 | California State University-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA | $61,410 | $9,338 | $6,501 | 94.0% |
| California State University-Sacramento carries the lowest average net price on the page at $9,338 and reports median earnings of $61,410 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Interior Architecture (49 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Interior Architecture ($61,410) | |||||
| 13 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion · Tempe, AZ | No published median | $14,967 | $9,070 | 89.9% |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion ranks 13th on this list and holds an Azimuth composite rank of 21st among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architecture (70 graduates), City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning (61 graduates), Environmental Design (58 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning ($68,163), Architecture ($60,297) | |||||
| 14 | University of Arizona · Tucson, AZ | No published median | $16,674 | $13,353 | 86.1% |
| A public university in Tucson, University of Arizona reports a six-year completion rate of 68% and an average net price of $16,674. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architectural Sciences and Technology (61 graduates), City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning (50 graduates), Architecture and Related Services, Other (28 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning ($76,360), Architecture and Related Services, Other ($55,226) | |||||
| 15 | University of Hawaii at Manoa · Honolulu, HI | $59,090 | $15,664 | $10,675 | 86.6% |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa reports median earnings of $59,090 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 87%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Environmental Design (43 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Environmental Design ($59,090) | |||||
| 16 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins · Fort Collins, CO | No published median | $21,279 | $13,259 | 88.5% |
| With an admission rate of 89%, Colorado State University-Fort Collins has an average net price of $13,259 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Interior Architecture (45 graduates), Landscape Architecture (22 graduates) | |||||
| 17 | University of San Francisco · San Francisco, CA | $55,286 | $41,431 | $31,537 | 61.7% |
| University of San Francisco, a private nonprofit institution in San Francisco, reports median earnings of $55,286 for its Architecture graduates two years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architecture (25 graduates) | |||||
| 18 | University of San Diego · San Diego, CA | $52,107 | $30,365 | $15,586 | 52.4% |
| Graduating 84% of its students within six years, University of San Diego reports an average net price of $15,586 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation (17 graduates) | |||||
| 19 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM | No published median | $15,489 | $11,938 | 95.2% |
| Admitting 95% of applicants, University of New Mexico-Main Campus ranks 19th on this page and reports an average net price of $15,489. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architecture (63 graduates), Environmental Design (12 graduates) | |||||
| 20 | Washington State University · Pullman, WA | No published median | $14,971 | $7,074 | 86.6% |
| Washington State University reports a six-year completion rate of 60% and an average net price of $7,074 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architectural Sciences and Technology (50 graduates) | |||||
| 21 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus · Denver, CO | No published median | $11,900 | $6,743 | 74.7% |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus ranks 130th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports an average net price of $11,900. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architectural Sciences and Technology (98 graduates) | |||||
| 22 | University of Utah · Salt Lake City, UT | No published median | $16,200 | $13,123 | 86.0% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 65%, University of Utah admits 86% of applicants. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architectural Sciences and Technology (38 graduates) | |||||
| 23 | Woodbury University · Burbank, CA | No published median | $33,692 | $28,815 | 81.7% |
| A private nonprofit institution in Burbank, Woodbury University reports an average net price of $28,815 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Architectural Sciences and Technology (67 graduates), Interior Architecture (9 graduates) | |||||
| 24 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $31,305 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
| University of California-Los Angeles reports median earnings of $31,305 for its Architecture graduates two years after completing and admits 9% of applicants. | |||||
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 the West appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 3 of the 24 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 11 schools with a published figure. The spread from top to bottom is $54,029, with the highest published median of $85,334 at University of Washington-Seattle Campus and the lowest of $31,305.
Related rankings
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- Best Architecture Colleges in the Midwest
- Best Architecture Colleges in the South
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