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Architectural Engineering

Instructional content is defined in code 15.0101.

Types of Degrees Architectural Engineering Majors Are Earning

Those studying Architectural Engineering can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	21
Associate’s Degree	645
Bachelor’s Degree	412
Master’s Degree	472

What Architectural Engineering Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Architectural Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

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

Skills

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

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Architectural Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Architectural Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.9 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Architectural Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
National Instruments LabVIEW	Development environment software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Geographic information system GIS systems	Geographic information system	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Architectural Engineering graduates include:

• Test Technician (Test Tech)
• Laser Specialist
• Engineering Assistant
• Fire Protection Engineering Technician
• Engineering Technician
• Civil Designer
• Drafting Technician
• Fiber Optics Instructor
• Optical Manufacturing Technician (Optical Manufacturing Tech)
• Optical Fabrication Technician (Optical Fabrication Tech)
• Optoelectronic Technician (Optoelectronic Tech)
• Photonics Technician (Photonics Tech)
• Photonics Laboratory Technician (Photonics Lab Tech)
• Photonics Engineer
• Laser Operator

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	34.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	24.2%
Postsecondary certificate	13.4%
Some college courses	12.9%
Bachelor’s degree	11.8%
Master’s degree	1.7%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.6%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Architectural Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 62.4% of Architectural Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	585	37.6%
Men	972	62.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Architectural Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	799	51.3%
Asian	65	4.2%
Hispanic or Latino	367	23.6%
Black or African American	136	8.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	6	0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.1%
Two or More Races	55	3.5%
Race Unknown	48	3.1%
International Students	80	5.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Architectural Engineering Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Architectural Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$62,677
4 years	$63,449
5 years	$65,836

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $65,836 — roughly 5% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Architectural Engineering Programs

Distance learning is reported by IPEDS for Architectural Engineering. 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	6

^{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 Architectural Engineering Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Architectural Engineering graduates earn a median of $63,449 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
Engineering Technologies	91,975
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians	11,920
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians	11,391
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians	10,798
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians	9,702
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians	9,196
Engineering-Related Fields	8,633
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians	5,996
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician	5,089
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians	3,938
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians	3,275
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other	2,247

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.