2026 Best Value Architectural & Building Sciences/Technology Schools in Pennsylvania

[Architectural & Building Sciences/Technology](/majors/architecture-and-related-services/architectural-sciences-and-technology/architectural-and-building-sciences-technology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value architectural & building sciences/technology schools.
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2026 Best Value Architectural & Building Sciences/Technology Schools in Pennsylvania
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in architectural & building sciences/technology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Architectural & Building Sciences/Technology Schools
Pennsylvania College Of Technology tops our 2026 list of the best value architectural & building sciences/technology schools in Pennsylvania. Located in the city of Williamsport, Pennsylvania College Of Technology is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,940, with out-of-state students paying around $25,680. Typical student debt for architectural & building sciences/technology graduates is $27,000. Architectural & Building Sciences/technology graduates of Pennsylvania College Of Technology earn a median of $43,501 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in architectural & building sciences/technology will find it at Thomas Jefferson University, which ranked #2. Thomas Jefferson University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. In-state tuition and fees average $47,355. Typical student debt for architectural & building sciences/technology graduates is $31,000. Early-career architectural & building sciences/technology graduates make about $61,021. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Thomas Jefferson University admits about 81% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Temple University one of the best values for architectural & building sciences/technology. Temple University is a very large public school located in the city of Philadelphia. In-state tuition and fees average $23,005, compared with $38,805 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for architectural & building sciences/technology graduates is $27,000. Early-career architectural & building sciences/technology graduates make about $49,428. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Pennsylvania came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value architectural & building sciences/technology schools. Located in the city of Philadelphia, University Of Pennsylvania is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $68,686. Architectural & Building Sciences/technology graduates carry a median of $16,155 in student loans. Architectural & Building Sciences/technology graduates of University Of Pennsylvania earn a median of $63,662 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Pennsylvania admits about 5% of applicants.
Carnegie Mellon University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value architectural & building sciences/technology schools. Carnegie Mellon University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pittsburgh. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,636. Architectural & Building Sciences/technology graduates carry a median of $29,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, architectural & building sciences/technology degree recipients from Carnegie Mellon University generally make around $48,514. Set against $29,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 12%.
Pennsylvania State University Main Campus earned the #6 position for value in architectural & building sciences/technology this year. Located in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $20,644, while out-of-state students pay about $41,790. Median earnings reach $63,435 ten years out. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.