[Architecture & Related Services](/majors/architecture-and-related-services/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for architecture & related services students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in architecture & related services, balancing cost against outcomes.
Northern Virginia Community College earned the #1 spot for value among architecture & related services schools in Virginia. Set in the suburb of Annandale, Northern Virginia Community College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,891, with out-of-state students paying around $12,410. Students borrow a median of $14,413 to complete the architecture & related services program here. Early-career architecture & related services graduates make about $40,126. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Virginia Main Campus earned it the #2 place for architecture & related services. University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public school located in the suburb of Charlottesville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $23,118, while out-of-state students pay about $61,591. Typical student debt for architecture & related services graduates is $23,965. Early-career architecture & related services graduates make about $54,427. That is a strong return on a $23,965 median debt. The acceptance rate is 17%.
Students looking for strong value in architecture & related services will find it at Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University, which ranked #3. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public school located in the city of Blacksburg. In-state tuition and fees average $15,948, compared with $37,764 for out-of-state students. Architecture & Related Services graduates carry a median of $29,630 in student loans. Architecture & Related Services graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University earn a median of $57,120 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 55%.
Hampton University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in architecture & related services, landing the #4 spot this year. Hampton University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Hampton. Students from in state pay about $30,592 in tuition and fees. Architecture & Related Services graduates carry a median of $26,169 in student loans. Soon after graduation, architecture & related services degree recipients from Hampton University generally make around $49,774. Set against $26,169 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 62% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
