Best Architecture Programs in the Midwest (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Architecture Colleges in the Midwest
Regional list from Best Architecture Programs in the United States
This page ranks the 14 Architecture programs in the Midwest by the median earnings of Architecture graduates four years after completing. University of Notre Dame leads the list at $82,983, followed by Drury University at $70,134.
Across the listed schools, the median earnings figure is $63,475, with a spread of $49,702 from the top to the bottom of the list.
Public institutions account for 11 of the 14 programs, alongside 3 private nonprofits. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor ranks 16th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. University of Illinois Chicago posts the lowest average net price at $10,974.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Notre Dame · Notre Dame, IN | $82,983 | $26,780 | $7,244 | 11.3% |
| University of Notre Dame ranks 1st on this list with median earnings of $82,983 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing, and it carries a median federal debt of $28,419 among Architecture completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 2 | Drury University · Springfield, MO | $70,134 | $20,831 | $18,759 | 57.6% |
| Drury University, a private nonprofit university in Springfield, reports an admission rate of 58% and median earnings of $70,134 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH | $66,131 | $17,339 | $4,885 | 60.6% |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus posts median earnings of $66,131 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $17,339. | |||||
| 4 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus · Cincinnati, OH | $65,449 | $25,648 | $17,974 | 85.3% |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus ranks 4th on this list and its Architecture graduates four years after completing report median earnings of $65,449. | |||||
| 5 | North Dakota State University-Main Campus · Fargo, ND | $65,148 | $15,543 | $9,370 | 95.0% |
| North Dakota State University-Main Campus admits 95% of applicants and its Architecture graduates four years after completing earn a median of $65,148. | |||||
| 6 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI | $65,015 | $13,138 | $1,043 | 15.6% |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor ranks 16th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Architecture graduates four years after completing earn a median of $65,015. | |||||
| 7 | Judson University · Elgin, IL | $63,846 | $18,558 | $15,701 | 47.6% |
| Judson University reports median earnings of $63,846 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing, with a median federal debt of $26,442 among Architecture completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 8 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale · Carbondale, IL | $63,104 | $13,297 | $9,415 | 86.9% |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale carries an average net price of $13,297 and its Architecture graduates four years after completing earn a median of $63,104. | |||||
| 9 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI | $62,803 | $15,014 | $10,329 | 90.7% |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee ranks 9th on this list, with median earnings of $62,803 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln · Lincoln, NE | $62,700 | $17,747 | $12,751 | 87.5% |
| An admission rate of 87% and median earnings of $62,700 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing are reported by University of Nebraska-Lincoln. | |||||
| 11 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities · Minneapolis, MN | $62,246 | $16,778 | $6,642 | 79.8% |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities posts median earnings of $62,246 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing, alongside a median federal debt of $20,412 among Architecture completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 12 | Kent State University at Kent · Kent, OH | $59,299 | $20,787 | $15,280 | 86.3% |
| Kent State University at Kent carries an average net price of $20,787 and its Architecture graduates four years after completing earn a median of $59,299. | |||||
| 13 | University of Illinois Chicago · Chicago, IL | $56,975 | $10,974 | $7,529 | 77.4% |
| University of Illinois Chicago, a public university in Chicago, reports median earnings of $56,975 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing, with 56 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 14 | Ball State University · Muncie, IN | $33,281 | $14,940 | $7,834 | 85.5% |
| Ball State University admits 86% of applicants and carries an average net price of $14,940, while its Architecture graduates earned a median of $33,281 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 the Midwest appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 1 of the 14 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 top to bottom is $49,702, with University of Notre Dame at $82,983 and the lowest listed program at $33,281.