{
  "major": "Architecture",
  "slug": "architecture",
  "field": "Engineering & Architecture",
  "as_of": "2026",
  "url": "https://collegeranked.com/best-architecture-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": 67,
  "shown": 25,
  "ranking": [
    {
      "rank": 1,
      "school": "California State Polytechnic University-Pomona",
      "state": "CA",
      "median_earnings": 57514,
      "net_price": 11531,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 529016,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 2,
      "school": "California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo",
      "state": "CA",
      "median_earnings": 60634,
      "net_price": 16665,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 539680,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 3,
      "school": "University of California-Berkeley",
      "state": "CA",
      "median_earnings": 50917,
      "net_price": 13481,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 455246,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 4,
      "school": "Kennesaw State University",
      "state": "GA",
      "median_earnings": 56477,
      "net_price": 15048,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 504578,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 5,
      "school": "University of Arizona",
      "state": "AZ",
      "median_earnings": 55109,
      "net_price": 16674,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 484394,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 6,
      "school": "Boston Architectural College",
      "state": "MA",
      "median_earnings": 55079,
      "net_price": 25865,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 447330,
      "public": false
    },
    {
      "rank": 7,
      "school": "Florida Atlantic University",
      "state": "FL",
      "median_earnings": 46551,
      "net_price": 8752,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 430502,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 8,
      "school": "Ball State University",
      "state": "IN",
      "median_earnings": 57603,
      "net_price": 14940,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 516270,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 9,
      "school": "Iowa State University",
      "state": "IA",
      "median_earnings": 54957,
      "net_price": 18589,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 475214,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 10,
      "school": "Mississippi State University",
      "state": "MS",
      "median_earnings": 53679,
      "net_price": 17595,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 466410,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 11,
      "school": "University of North Carolina at Charlotte",
      "state": "NC",
      "median_earnings": 51558,
      "net_price": 15435,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 453840,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 12,
      "school": "University of Houston",
      "state": "TX",
      "median_earnings": 49388,
      "net_price": 14276,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 436776,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 13,
      "school": "Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus",
      "state": "GA",
      "median_earnings": 48863,
      "net_price": 12116,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 440166,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 14,
      "school": "University of Notre Dame",
      "state": "IN",
      "median_earnings": 62957,
      "net_price": 26780,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 522450,
      "public": false
    },
    {
      "rank": 15,
      "school": "The University of Texas at Austin",
      "state": "TX",
      "median_earnings": 56327,
      "net_price": 19857,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 483842,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 16,
      "school": "University of Washington-Seattle Campus",
      "state": "WA",
      "median_earnings": 50809,
      "net_price": 14091,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 451726,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 17,
      "school": "Drury University",
      "state": "MO",
      "median_earnings": 54723,
      "net_price": 20831,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 463906,
      "public": false
    },
    {
      "rank": 18,
      "school": "University of Virginia-Main Campus",
      "state": "VA",
      "median_earnings": 51740,
      "net_price": 21565,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 431140,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 19,
      "school": "University of Arkansas",
      "state": "AR",
      "median_earnings": 51080,
      "net_price": 18209,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 437964,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 20,
      "school": "Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University",
      "state": "VA",
      "median_earnings": 56708,
      "net_price": 24953,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 467268,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 21,
      "school": "Auburn University",
      "state": "AL",
      "median_earnings": 53146,
      "net_price": 24323,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 434168,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 22,
      "school": "University of Oregon",
      "state": "OR",
      "median_earnings": 51933,
      "net_price": 22182,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 430602,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 23,
      "school": "Illinois Institute of Technology",
      "state": "IL",
      "median_earnings": 47542,
      "net_price": 18425,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 401720,
      "public": false
    },
    {
      "rank": 24,
      "school": "University of Maryland-College Park",
      "state": "MD",
      "median_earnings": 46347,
      "net_price": 15678,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 400758,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 25,
      "school": "The University of Tennessee-Knoxville",
      "state": "TN",
      "median_earnings": 50365,
      "net_price": 18976,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 427746,
      "public": true
    }
  ]
}