{
  "major": "Architectural Engineering",
  "slug": "architectural-engineering",
  "field": "Engineering & Architecture",
  "as_of": "2026",
  "url": "https://collegeranked.com/best-architectural-engineering-schools/",
  "source": "U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2026 release); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics",
  "metric_definitions": {
    "median_earnings": "Median earnings one year after graduation (Scorecard)",
    "net_price": "Average annual cost of attendance after grant aid. For PUBLIC schools this reflects IN-STATE cost; out-of-state students pay more.",
    "roi_10yr_usd": "Ten years of earnings minus four years of net price",
    "public": "true = public university (net_price is in-state basis); false = private (residency-neutral)"
  },
  "total_colleges_with_reported_data": 13,
  "shown": 13,
  "ranking": [
    {
      "rank": 1,
      "school": "California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo",
      "state": "CA",
      "median_earnings": 80481,
      "net_price": 16665,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 738150,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 2,
      "school": "The University of Texas at Austin",
      "state": "TX",
      "median_earnings": 73510,
      "net_price": 19857,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 655672,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 3,
      "school": "Missouri University of Science and Technology",
      "state": "MO",
      "median_earnings": 73274,
      "net_price": 16298,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 667548,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 4,
      "school": "Auburn University",
      "state": "AL",
      "median_earnings": 77115,
      "net_price": 24323,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 673858,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 5,
      "school": "North Carolina A & T State University",
      "state": "NC",
      "median_earnings": 67152,
      "net_price": 10846,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 628136,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 6,
      "school": "Kansas State University",
      "state": "KS",
      "median_earnings": 74091,
      "net_price": 19406,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 663286,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 7,
      "school": "University of Wyoming",
      "state": "WY",
      "median_earnings": 66497,
      "net_price": 13599,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 610574,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 8,
      "school": "University of Colorado Boulder",
      "state": "CO",
      "median_earnings": 72567,
      "net_price": 25346,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 624286,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 9,
      "school": "Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus",
      "state": "PA",
      "median_earnings": 80070,
      "net_price": 32875,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 669200,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 10,
      "school": "Drexel University",
      "state": "PA",
      "median_earnings": 76272,
      "net_price": 38509,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 608684,
      "public": false
    },
    {
      "rank": 11,
      "school": "University of Kansas",
      "state": "KS",
      "median_earnings": 76353,
      "net_price": 18059,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 691294,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 12,
      "school": "Texas A&M University-Kingsville",
      "state": "TX",
      "median_earnings": 55459,
      "net_price": 12090,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 506230,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 13,
      "school": "University of Cincinnati-Main Campus",
      "state": "OH",
      "median_earnings": 72691,
      "net_price": 25648,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 624318,
      "public": true
    }
  ]
}