According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of 2010, the average architect made more than 72,500 dollars a year. The combination of a healthy salary and the ability to be creative and work on unique projects constantly makes becoming an architect a goal for many individuals, especially those who are looking to head to college. However, without going to the right college, even the smartest and most talented individuals might struggle to start a rewarding career. So doing some research and checking out lots of options is a must for someone who wants to find the best college for architecture.
The list of schools by Arch Daily, published in November 2012, might be the best place for people to start when looking for the best university for architecture. It lists the 20 best universities for architecture at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, making it a great place to look. Though the lists, which can be easily found on the Arch Daily website, do not offer more information than just rankings, it can provide potential architecture student a solid base to start their research when trying to find the right school.
From 2005 until now, Cornell has held the top spot as the best undergraduate architecture program in the United States, according to the magazine. The other top 10 best colleges on the list, in order, are the Southern California Institute of Architecture, Rice, Syracuse, Cal Polytechnic, University of Texas at Austin, Virginia Tech, Rhode Island School of Design, Iowa State, and Auburn. Though this list can certainly be debated, and there is no guarantee that the best college for architecture for every student is on there, it is a good springboard for the search process.
After four years of undergraduate work at a school that might be known for having the best college bars, rather than a great architecture program, students might want to bolster their education by heading to grad school. According to Arch Daily, the top 10 graduate schools are Harvard, big surprise, Columbia, Yale, MIT, Cornell, Southern California Institute of Architecture, Virginia, UC Berkeley, Washington University in St. Louis, and Cincinnati. It will surely be difficult for students to get into any of these programs, but if they are able to get into the right one, they will be receive the education they need to refine their skills and enjoy a fulfilling career as an architect.