Best Architecture Programs in the Northeast (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Architecture Colleges in the Northeast
Regional list from Best Architecture Programs in the United States
This page ranks the 10 Architecture programs in the Northeast by the median earnings of Architecture graduates four years after completing. Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus leads the list with median earnings of $76,181 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed schools, the figures range from $76,181 to $50,439, with a median of $66,135. The gap between the first and second spots is $630.
The list includes 3 public and 7 private nonprofit institutions. University at Buffalo ranks 103rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. Keene State College posts the lowest average net price on the page, at $17,887.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus · University Park, PA | $76,181 | $32,875 | $19,845 | 60.6% |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus ranks 1st on this list, with median earnings of $76,181 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 2 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · Troy, NY | $75,551 | $36,228 | $24,078 | 63.5% |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a private nonprofit university in Troy, reports an admission rate of 63% and median earnings of $75,551 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | Carnegie Mellon University · Pittsburgh, PA | $73,439 | $31,944 | $9,097 | 11.7% |
| Carnegie Mellon University posts an average net price of $31,944 and a school-wide median federal debt of $21,750 across all of its borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 4 | Drexel University · Philadelphia, PA | $72,915 | $38,509 | $28,055 | 79.4% |
| Drexel University ranks 4th on this list, with median federal debt of $31,000 among Architecture completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 5 | Marywood University · Scranton, PA | $67,178 | $23,388 | $18,941 | 60.6% |
| Marywood University reports median earnings of $67,178 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $18,941 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 6 | Roger Williams University · Bristol, RI | $65,092 | $37,999 | $29,778 | 87.7% |
| Roger Williams University admits 88% of applicants and reports median earnings of $65,092 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | University at Buffalo · Buffalo, NY | $61,525 | $20,995 | $14,668 | 74.2% |
| University at Buffalo reports median earnings of $61,525 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing, and ranks 103rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 8 | Keene State College · Keene, NH | $61,304 | $17,887 | $12,192 | 90.3% |
| Keene State College reports an average net price of $17,887 and admits 90% of applicants. | |||||
| 9 | Norwich University · Northfield, VT | $58,534 | $22,257 | $15,610 | 74.4% |
| Norwich University reports median earnings of $58,534 for its Architecture graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 19 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 10 | Rhode Island School of Design · Providence, RI | $50,439 | $50,507 | $29,135 | 18.7% |
| Rhode Island School of Design posts an admission rate of 19% and an average net price of $29,135 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
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 Northeast appear. The figures cover federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 1 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 from Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus to the bottom of the list is $25,742, and the gap between Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is $630.