Architect Education Requirements

Q: How long is architecture school?

Architecture school is between five and seven years in length at most schools in the United States. In order to become a licensed architect, most students must first earn a professional degree with a focus on architecture. A professional degree comes from an accredited degree program that is validated by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an architect. Architects usually study architecture, computer science, or business. 67% of architects hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 18,287 real architect resumes to see exactly what architect education sections show.

The most common colleges for architects are the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

There are also many online architect courses to help get the education required to be an architect.

There are certain architect certifications that you should consider. These architect certifications include Project Management Professional (PMP) and LEED AP Building Design + Construction (LEED).

What education do you need to become an architect?

What degree do you need to be an architect?

The most common degree for architects is bachelor's degree, with 67% of architects earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 21% and master's degree degree at 6%.

Bachelor's, 67%

Master's, 21%

Associate, 6%

Diploma, 2%

Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become an architect?

You should major in architecture to become an architect. 38% of architects major in architecture. Other common majors for an architect include computer science and business.

Architecture, 38%

Computer Science, 16%

Business, 7%

Electrical Engineering, 7%

Other Majors, 32%

Most common colleges for architects

Architects often get their degrees at University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Phoenix, and New York Institute of Technology. Here are the most common colleges for architects in the US based on their resumes.

Architect Common College	Percentages
University of Illinois at Chicago	7.93%
University of Phoenix	7.31%
New York Institute of Technology	6.78%
University of Maryland - College Park	5.74%
New York University	5.22%

Show more common architect colleges

Best majors for architects

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Architecture	38.2%
2	Computer Science	15.6%
3	Business	6.9%
4	Electrical Engineering	6.5%
5	Computer Engineering	3.8%

Show more common architect majors

Best colleges for architects

The best colleges for architects are Harvard University, Yale University, and Cornell University.

An architect with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for architects. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become architects.

1. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

2. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

5. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-State Tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

6. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

8. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-State Tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

9. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,430

Enrollment

5,963

10. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$52,930

Enrollment

5,030

20 best online courses for architects

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Top 10 most affordable universities for architects

The most affordable schools for architects are Florida Atlantic University, university of washington, and university of puerto rico - rio piedras campus.

If the best universities for architects are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for architects.

1. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$4,831

Cost of Attendance

19,559

2. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-State Tuition

$11,207

Cost of Attendance

25,275

3. University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus

San Juan, PR • Private

In-State Tuition

$4,094

Cost of Attendance

11,299

4. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,410

Cost of Attendance

20,456

5. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,610

Cost of Attendance

25,228

6. University of Colorado Denver

Denver, CO • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,283

Cost of Attendance

22,243

7. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-State Tuition

$12,424

Cost of Attendance

28,501

8. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,101

Cost of Attendance

23,600

9. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,381

Cost of Attendance

21,034

10. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,556

Cost of Attendance

19,434

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for architects

The hardest universities for architects to get into are Harvard University, Yale University, and Cornell University.

Some great schools for architects are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for architects based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

SAT Average

1,520

2. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions Rate

SAT Average

1,517

3. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions Rate

11%

SAT Average

1,471

4. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions Rate

17%

SAT Average

1,507

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions Rate

SAT Average

1,492

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions Rate

SAT Average

1,512

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

19%

SAT Average

1,466

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

13%

SAT Average

1,445

9. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions Rate

22%

SAT Average

1,465

10. Barnard College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions Rate

14%

SAT Average

1,422

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for architects

The easiest schools for architects to get into are Portland State University, north dakota state university, and university of colorado denver.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an architect without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for architects.

1. Portland State University

Portland, OR • Private

Admissions Rate

90%

SAT Average

1,111

2. North Dakota State University

Fargo, ND • Private

Admissions Rate

93%

SAT Average

1,170

3. University of Colorado Denver

Denver, CO • Private

Admissions Rate

64%

SAT Average

1,132

4. Lawrence Technological University

Southfield, MI • Private

Admissions Rate

78%

SAT Average

1,174

5. Iowa State University of Science and Technology

Ames, IA • Private

Admissions Rate

91%

SAT Average

1,219

6. University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM • Private

Admissions Rate

70%

SAT Average

1,120

7. Keene State College

Keene, NH • Private

Admissions Rate

81%

SAT Average

1,053

8. University of Oregon

Eugene, OR • Private

Admissions Rate

83%

SAT Average

1,199

9. Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green, OH • Private

Admissions Rate

72%

SAT Average

1,084

10. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

Admissions Rate

81%

SAT Average

1,070

Average architect salary by education level

According to our data, architects with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $88,584 annually. Architects with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $87,240.

Architect education level	Architect salary
Master's Degree	$88,584
Bachelor's Degree	$87,240
Doctorate Degree	$86,905

Architect Education FAQs

How long is architecture school?

What is the best college for Architects?

Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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