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General Architecture

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 04.0200 - 04.0299.

Types of Degrees General Architecture Majors Are Earning

Those studying General Architecture have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	102
Bachelor’s Degree	3,648
Master’s Degree	767
Doctor’s Degree	77

What General Architecture Majors Need to Know

Programs in General Architecture build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that General Architecture graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing General Architecture emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Building and Construction — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a General Architecture program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to General Architecture careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, General Architecture graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.6 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Communicating with People Outside the Organization	4.1 / 7
Processing Information	4.1 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by General Architecture professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Adobe Illustrator	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Autodesk Revit	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for General Architecture graduates include:

• Assistant Professor
• Professor
• Associate Professor
• Architecture Professor
• Faculty Member
• Architectural Drafting Instructor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Adjunct Professor
• University Faculty Member
• Interior Design Professor
• College Professor
• College Faculty Member
• Architecture Instructor
• Landscape Architecture Professor
• Lecturer

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to General Architecture graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	34.8%
Master’s degree	19.9%
Doctoral degree	18.6%
First professional degree	15.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	6.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.0%
Post-master’s certificate	1.4%
Postsecondary certificate	1.2%
Post-doctoral training	0.4%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in General Architecture?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 51.6% women and 48.4% men among General Architecture graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	2,370	3077.9%
Men	2,224	2888.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of General Architecture graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	39	50.6%
Asian	10	13.0%
Hispanic or Latino	8	10.4%
Black or African American	6	7.8%
Two or More Races	12	15.6%
International Students	2	2.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do General Architecture Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of General Architecture graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$50,115
4 years	$63,317
5 years	$70,885

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $70,885 — roughly 41% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online General Architecture Programs

Fully online options is reported by IPEDS for General Architecture. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	4	3
Bachelor’s	1	1
Master’s	2	2

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in General Architecture Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, General Architecture graduates earn a median of $63,317 four years after completion — roughly 67% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Architecture and Related Services	20,162
Architectural Sciences and Technology	9,814
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning	2,362
Landscape Architecture	1,050
Interior Architecture	756
Environmental Design	714
Real Estate Development	555
Architecture and Related Services, Other	166
Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation	151
ARCHITECTURE AND RELATED SERVICES	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.