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# Best Architecture Programs in California (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Architecture Colleges in California](/rankings/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](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/majors/) 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](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/majors/) ranks 4th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

## The ranked list

5 schools in list order

| 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](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/majors/) ranks 1st on this list, with [median earnings of $76,969](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/outcomes/) 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](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/majors/) [admits 11% of applicants](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/admissions/) 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](/school/university-of-san-francisco/majors/) posts an [average net price of $41,431](/school/university-of-san-francisco/cost/) 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](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/) reports an [average net price of $13,516](/school/university-of-southern-california/cost/) 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%](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/admissions/), [University of California-Los Angeles](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/majors/) 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](/rankings/best-architecture-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in California](/rankings/best-colleges-in-california/)
-   [Best Architecture Colleges in California](/rankings/best-architecture-colleges-in-california/)
-   Architecture Colleges in California for Social Mobility