2026 Best Value Architectural & Building Sciences/Technology Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

[Architectural & Building Sciences/Technology](/majors/architecture-and-related-services/architectural-sciences-and-technology/architectural-and-building-sciences-technology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for architectural & building sciences/technology students.
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2026 Best Value Architectural & Building Sciences/Technology Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
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
Leading the list is University Of Utah, our #1 best value for architectural & building sciences/technology in the Rocky Mountains Region. Set in the city of Salt Lake City, University Of Utah is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,620, while out-of-state students pay about $30,860. Architectural & Building Sciences/technology graduates carry a median of $20,798 in student loans. Architectural & Building Sciences/technology graduates of University Of Utah earn a median of $40,717 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in architectural & building sciences/technology will find it at University Of Idaho, which ranked #2. Set in the town of Moscow, University Of Idaho is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,084, with out-of-state students paying around $28,320. Typical student debt for architectural & building sciences/technology graduates is $23,844. Architectural & Building Sciences/technology graduates of University Of Idaho earn a median of $43,246 early in their careers. Set against $23,844 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Idaho admits about 76% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Colorado Denver earned it the #3 place for architectural & building sciences/technology. Set in the city of Denver, University Of Colorado Denver is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,383, with out-of-state students paying around $29,391. Students borrow a median of $24,150 to complete the architectural & building sciences/technology program here. Architectural & Building Sciences/technology graduates of University Of Colorado Denver earn a median of $51,510 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in architectural & building sciences/technology will find it at Montana State University, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Bozeman, Montana State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,460 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $33,287. Students borrow a median of $25,500 to complete the architectural & building sciences/technology program here. Early-career architectural & building sciences/technology graduates make about $60,867. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 5 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.