Best Architecture Programs in California (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Architecture Colleges in California
This page ranks the 5 Architecture programs in California with a reported earnings cohort, ordered by the median earnings of Architecture graduates four years after completing. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona leads with median earnings of $76,969 for its graduates after completing.
Across the list, the figure ranges from $76,969 to $31,305, with a median of $55,286. For 3 of the 5 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
3 of the schools are public and 2 are private nonprofit. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona posts the lowest average net price at $11,531.
University of California-Berkeley ranks 4th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona · Pomona, CA | $76,969 | $11,531 | $7,851 | 75.2% |
| California State Polytechnic University-Pomona ranks 1st on this list, with median earnings of $76,969 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $76,679 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
| University of California-Berkeley admits 11% of applicants and reports median earnings of $76,679 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | University of San Francisco · San Francisco, CA | $55,286 | $41,431 | $31,537 | 61.7% |
| A private nonprofit university in San Francisco, University of San Francisco posts an average net price of $41,431 alongside median earnings of $55,286 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $49,437 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
| University of Southern California reports an average net price of $13,516 for families earning under $30,000 and median earnings of $49,437 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $31,305 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
| With an admission rate of 9%, University of California-Los Angeles ranks 22nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $31,305 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Architecture graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in California appear. For three of the 5 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric covers federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled after completing; it does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range from $76,969 to $31,305 and the median of $55,286 cover the 5 schools with a published figure. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona and University of California-Berkeley sit just $290 apart at the top of the list, while the spread from first to last reaches $45,664.
Related rankings
- Best Architecture Programs in the United States
- Best Colleges in California
- Best Architecture Colleges in California
- Architecture Colleges in California for Social Mobility