2026 Best Environmental Design & Architecture Schools in California

Environmental Design & Architecture degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their environmental design & architecture programs.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for environmental design & architecture students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

• Best Environmental Design & Architecture Schools in California

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Featured Environmental Design & Architecture Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

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Best Schools for Environmental Design & Architecture in California

If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the environmental design & architecture degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Environmental Design & Architecture

1

University Of California Berkeley
Berkeley, CA

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

25 Environmental Design & Architecture Degrees Awarded

$70,847 Median Starting Salary

University Of California Berkeley is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in environmental design & architecture. This very large public university is located in the city of Berkeley. The six-year graduation rate is 93%. University Of California Berkeley awarded about 25 environmental design & architecture degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their environmental design & architecture degree from University Of California Berkeley earn around $70,847 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $14,238 to complete this degree. Get the full environmental design & architecture details for University Of California Berkeley

2

Otis College Of Art And Design
Los Angeles, CA

Associate's Degree Highest Degree Type

10 Environmental Design & Architecture Degrees Awarded

$21,440 Median Starting Salary

Otis College Of Art And Design is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in environmental design & architecture, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Los Angeles, Otis College Of Art And Design is a small private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 66%. There were roughly 10 environmental design & architecture students who graduated with this degree at Otis College Of Art And Design in the most recent data year. Graduates of the environmental design & architecture program make about $21,440 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $28,292. More information about a degree in environmental design & architecture from Otis College Of Art And Design

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 5 schools evaluated.

• 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.