College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value architecture Schools

73 Ranked Colleges
4,854 Degrees Awarded
$15,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value architecture Schools

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value architecture Schools” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Architecture is the 147th most popular major in the country with 4,854 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

This year’s “Best Value architecture Schools” ranking analyzed 73 colleges that offered a degree in architecture. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality architecture programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the architecture program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Architecture Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More architecture Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The architecture school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value architecture Schools”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value architecture Schools

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value architecture Schools.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Architecture

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value architecture Schools. Fargo, North Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s architecture degrees to 125 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $16,998 for architecture students per year to attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full North Dakota State University Architecture Report

2
Mississippi State crest
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, Mississippi

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Mississippi State University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value architecture Schools. Mississippi State is a public institution located in Mississippi State, Mississippi. The school has a large population, and it awarded 46 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mississippi State, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Architecture Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Mississippi State University is $16,122 for architecture students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Architecture at Mississippi State

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State Polytechnic University - Pomona. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value architecture Schools list. Pomona, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s architecture degrees to 102 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $14,304 for architecture students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Cal Poly Pomona Architecture Report

4
UH crest
University of Houston
Houston, Texas

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Houston. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value architecture Schools. UH is a large public school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 89 ’s architecture degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Houston is $13,721 for architecture students.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Houston Architecture Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value architecture Schools list. Georgia Tech is a large school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 10 ’s architecture degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our architecture students list, Georgia Tech has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Architecture Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Georgia Tech is $14,974 for architecture students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Architecture at Georgia Tech

6
Texas Tech crest
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas

Texas Tech University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value architecture Schools ranking, coming in at #6. Texas Tech University is a large public school situated in Lubbock, Texas. It awarded 163 ’s architecture degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $16,194 for architecture students per year to attend Texas Tech.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Architecture at Texas Tech

7

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value architecture Schools ranking. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is a public institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 87 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $17,486 for architecture students per year to attend UWM.

Read full report on Architecture at UWM

8
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida did quite well in the 2023 Best Value architecture Schools ranking, coming in at #8. UF is a public institution located in Gainesville, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 173 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Architecture Schools” list. It costs about $5,135 for architecture students per year to attend University of Florida.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Architecture at University of Florida

9
KSU Georgia crest
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw, Georgia

Kennesaw State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value architecture Schools list. KSU Georgia is a large public school situated in Kennesaw, Georgia. It awarded 40 ’s architecture degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Kennesaw State University is $18,522 for architecture students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full KSU Georgia Architecture Report

10

Kent State University at Kent ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value architecture Schools list. Kent State University at Kent is a public institution located in Kent, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 139 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $19,117 for architecture students per year to attend Kent State.

Full Kent State University at Kent Architecture Report

11

University of Nebraska - Lincoln landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value architecture Schools ranking. UNL is located in Lincoln, Nebraska and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 99 ’s architecture degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $17,013 for architecture students per year to attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Architecture at UNL

12

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value architecture Schools ranking. University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a public institution located in Norman, Oklahoma. The school has a large population, and it awarded 11 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is $21,122 for architecture students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Architecture at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus

13

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value architecture Schools ranking. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is a large school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 99 ’s architecture degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UC is $22,415 for architecture students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Architecture at UC

14
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value architecture Schools ranking. North Carolina State University is a public institution located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 44 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend NC State is $16,411 for architecture students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Architecture at NC State

15
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value architecture Schools ranking, coming in at #15. This large school is located in Muncie, Indiana, and it awarded 81 ’s architecture degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $14,765 for architecture students per year to attend Ball State.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Ball State University Architecture Report

16

With a ranking of #16, University of North Carolina at Charlotte did quite well on the 2023 Best Value architecture Schools list. UNC Charlotte is a large public school situated in Charlotte, North Carolina. It awarded 57 ’s architecture degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Charlotte is $17,634 for architecture students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UNC Charlotte Architecture Report

17

The University of Texas at Austin landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value architecture Schools ranking. The University of Texas at Austin is a public institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 108 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Austin, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Architecture Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend The University of Texas at Austin is $18,350 for architecture students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Architecture at The University of Texas at Austin

18

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value architecture Schools ranking. UMN Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 104 ’s architecture degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Architecture Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $17,878 for architecture students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Architecture Report

19

University of South Florida - Main Campus ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value architecture Schools list. USF Tampa is a large school located in Tampa, Florida that handed out 37 ’s architecture degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $8,346 for architecture students per year to attend USF Tampa.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Architecture at USF Tampa

20

Texas A&M University - College Station did quite well in the 2023 Best Value architecture Schools ranking, coming in at #20. Texas A&M College Station is located in College Station, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 157 ’s architecture degrees to qualified students.

Texas A&M College Station did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Architecture Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Texas A&M College Station is $18,919 for architecture students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read more about Architecture at Texas A&M University - College Station

21

The University of Texas at San Antonio did quite well in the 2023 Best Value architecture Schools ranking, coming in at #21. This large school is located in San Antonio, Texas, and it awarded 90 ’s architecture degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UTSA is $10,549 for architecture students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Architecture at UTSA

22
Louisiana Tech crest
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, Louisiana

Louisiana Tech University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value architecture Schools ranking. Louisiana Tech University is a public institution located in Ruston, Louisiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 15 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Louisiana Tech is $11,304 for architecture students.

Read more about Architecture at Louisiana Tech

23
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas

With a ranking of #23, University of Arkansas did quite well on the 2023 Best Value architecture Schools list. UARK is located in Fayetteville, Arkansas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 39 ’s architecture degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend University of Arkansas is $16,507 for architecture students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Architecture at UARK

24

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value architecture Schools list. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this medium-sized public school awarded 50 degrees to qualified ’s architecture students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $13,126 for architecture students per year to attend Florida A&M University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Architecture at Florida A&M University

25
FAU crest
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida

With a ranking of #25, Florida Atlantic University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value architecture Schools list. Boca Raton, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s architecture degrees to 49 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Florida Atlantic University is $10,735 for architecture students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Architecture at FAU

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options