by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, environmental design and architecture was the 505th most popular major nationwide with 730 degrees awarded. This represents a small change of only 0.8% from the prior year's total of 724 environmental design degrees awarded.
Our 2023 Best Environmental Design & Architecture Schools ranking analyzes 23 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for environmental design and architecture students. Explore this or one of our many other custom environmental design rankings further below.
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
MBA in Sustainability & Environmental Compliance
Learn to fit environmental standards into your business practices when you earn your sustainability and environmental compliance MBA at Southern New Hampshire University.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents has been highlighted as one of the most essential skills for careers related to environmental design. Required skills include giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times and talking to others to convey information effectively.
environmental design and architecture degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. In addition to these basic environmental design and architecture program qualifications, to serve in some environmental design careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
Environmental Design degree levels vary. Environmental Design & Architecture programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest environmental design degree you can get. Different environmental design and architecture degrees vary in how long they take.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to environmental design, with approximately 52.3% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for environmental design workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 55.8% |
| Master’s Degree | 18.5% |
| First Professional Degree | 8.6% |
| Doctoral Degree | 7.7% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 6.1% |
96.4% of environmental design workers have at least a bachelor's. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in environmental design and architecture careers have.
This of course varies depending on which environmental design career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your environmental design degree? Environmental Design & Architecture careers are expected to grow 5.2% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to environmental design and architecture.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 190,000 | 5.5% |
| Architects | 134,200 | 4.2% |
| Landscape Architects | 26,300 | 6.5% |
| Architecture Professors | 10,500 | 10.5% |
As you might expect, salaries for environmental design graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for environmental design and architecture graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers environmental design grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $148,970 |
| Architecture Professors | $99,320 |
| Architects | $88,860 |
| Landscape Architects | $73,160 |
With over 64 different environmental design degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased environmental design school rankings to help you with this.
Environmental Design & Architecture is one of 2 different types of Environmental Design programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Sustainable Design/Architecture | 6 |
| Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture | 5 |
