MAJORS · 91 OF 115 SUBFIELDS BY ROI
Is an architecture degree worth it?
Part of Transportation, Construction, and Architecture — see the whole category’s numbers.
On average, yes — the mean lifetime ROI is +$661,567. But the spread is the real story.
MEAN LIFETIME ROI · FREOPP 2021 · COHORT-WEIGHTED
+$661,567
across 92 bachelor’s programs · 7,894 graduates
MEDIAN GRADUATE
+$677K
MIDDLE 50% LAND BETWEEN
+$390K ⟷ +$919K
NEVER BREAK EVEN
0.8%
MEDIAN BREAK-EVEN AGE
30
ADJUSTED FOR REAL COMPLETION RATES
+$440K
IF YOU DROP OUT
−$125K
Questions
- Is an architecture degree worth it?
- On average yes — across 92 U.S. bachelor’s programs (FREOPP 2021, cohort-weighted), the mean lifetime ROI for Architecture is +$661,567 and the median is +$677,451. 0.8% of graduates in this field never break even on the degree. The honest answer depends heavily on the specific program and school: the middle half of graduates land between +$390,145 and +$918,844.
- How long until an architecture degree pays off?
- Among Architecture programs that do break even, the median graduate crosses into positive ROI at age 30 (FREOPP 2021). 0.8% of graduates in the field are in programs that never break even at all.
- Does the school matter for an architecture major?
- Enormously. The middle 50% of Architecture graduates span +$390,145 to +$918,844 — a +$529K spread within one major. The same field can be a strong trade at one school and a losing one at another, which is why the per-school number matters more than the field average.
↓ Download the data (CSV) · All 115 subfields with full statistics. Free to cite with attribution. · Methodology
Cite this:
LE TEEN (2026). “Architecture: lifetime ROI statistics.” Data: FREOPP 2021. https://le-teen.com/majors/architecture