[Architecture & Related Services](/majors/architecture-and-related-services/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value architecture & related services schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the architecture & related services degrees they offer, see the list below.
Joliet Junior College earned the #1 spot for value among architecture & related services schools in Illinois. Located in the suburb of Joliet, Joliet Junior College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $4,530 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $13,800. Typical student debt for architecture & related services graduates is $11,995. Early-career architecture & related services graduates make about $40,118. That is a strong return on a $11,995 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at City Colleges Of Chicago Harold Washington College earned it the #2 place for architecture & related services. City Colleges Of Chicago Harold Washington College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Chicago. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,590, compared with $15,150 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $11,533 to complete the architecture & related services program here. Early-career architecture & related services graduates make about $33,960. Set against $11,533 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in architecture & related services will find it at University Of Illinois At Chicago, which ranked #3. University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public school located in the city of Chicago. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,949, while out-of-state students pay about $32,009. Typical student debt for architecture & related services graduates is $23,840. Architecture & Related Services graduates of University Of Illinois At Chicago earn a median of $37,143 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Southern Illinois University Carbondale earned it the #4 place for architecture & related services. Located in the town of Carbondale, Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,334 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for architecture & related services graduates is $25,000. Soon after graduation, architecture & related services degree recipients from Southern Illinois University Carbondale generally make around $51,093. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in architecture & related services will find it at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,267, compared with $40,096 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,291 to complete the architecture & related services program here. Architecture & Related Services graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $49,869 early in their careers. Set against $21,291 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Illinois Institute Of Technology ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value architecture & related services schools. Illinois Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. In-state tuition and fees average $52,202. Students borrow a median of $31,123 to complete the architecture & related services program here. Architecture & Related Services graduates of Illinois Institute Of Technology earn a median of $37,948 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $31,123 median debt. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
Judson University landed the #7 spot for architecture & related services value this year. Set in the city of Elgin, Judson University is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $30,297. Typical student debt for architecture & related services graduates is $26,221. Early-career architecture & related services graduates make about $48,301. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 48%.
More Architecture & Related Services Rankings
View All Architecture & Related Services Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
