2027 Best Value Architectural History Bachelor’s Degree Schools

[Architectural History](/majors/architecture-and-related-services/architectural-history/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong architectural history education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for architectural history students.
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2027 Best Value Architectural History Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in architectural history, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Architectural History Schools
Leading the list is Oklahoma State University Main Campus, our #1 best value for architectural history in the United States. Located in the town of Stillwater, Oklahoma State University Main Campus is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,110 in tuition and fees, compared with $25,630 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for architectural history graduates is $22,337. Early-career architectural history graduates make about $50,993. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 75%.
Kent State University At Kent is a great value for students pursuing a degree in architectural history, landing the #2 spot this year. Kent State University At Kent is a very large public school located in the suburb of Kent. Students from in state pay about $12,220 in tuition and fees, compared with $21,575 for out-of-state students. Architectural History graduates carry a median of $25,174 in student loans. Early-career architectural history graduates make about $44,776. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Students looking for strong value in architectural history will find it at Boston University, which ranked #3. Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,102. Typical student debt for architectural history graduates is $25,232. Soon after graduation, architectural history degree recipients from Boston University generally make around $63,598. Set against $25,232 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Boston University admits about 11% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Smith College earned it the #4 place for architectural history. Located in the city of Northampton, Smith College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,178. Students borrow a median of $18,941 to complete the architectural history program here. Architectural History graduates of Smith College earn a median of $40,436 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 21%.
A rank of #5 makes University Of San Diego one of the best values for architectural history. Located in the city of San Diego, University Of San Diego is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $59,486 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $23,795 to complete the architectural history program here. Architectural History graduates of University Of San Diego earn a median of $68,281 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of San Diego admits about 52% of applicants.
Northeastern University ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value architectural history schools. Northeastern University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston. In-state tuition and fees average $66,162. Typical student debt for architectural history graduates is $25,611. Early-career architectural history graduates make about $74,800. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 5% of applicants are accepted.
Other Architectural History Degree Levels
Explore the best-value architectural history schools at other degree levels:
View All Architectural History Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.