Portland State University Architecture: earnings, debt & careers

Architecture graduates of Portland State University earn a median $62,349 four years after graduating ($32,678 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $25,000. That is $5,050 below the U.S. median for Architecture graduates ($67,399 across 77 colleges), and ranks 2nd of 2 Oregon colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$62,349

U.S. median for this major: $67,399.

College Scorecard field of study; 46 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$32,678

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$25,000

About 40% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $27,000.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$9,552 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $21,590. College Scorecard.

Portland State University Architecture: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Portland State University graduates$62,349

Fewer than 3 Oregon colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.

U.S. median (77 colleges)$67,399 (−$5,050)

Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.

Architecture nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses Portland State University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$7,655$33,8351.3 years
$30–48k$7,752$34,2641.3 years
$48–75k$8,981$39,6961.5 years
$75–110k$12,993$57,4292.2 years
$110k+$19,112$84,4753.3 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (35% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Architecture graduates 4 years after graduating ($62,349) minus $36,549 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OR (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $25,800 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method

College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.

Architecture at Oregon colleges

Every Oregon college we cover that reports Architecture graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1University of Oregon$67,425$19,500$22,18272%
2Portland State University$62,349$25,000$9,55253%

Careers for Architecture graduates

Architect

Portland area$100,490
Oregon$98,800
U.S.$99,280

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +4.3% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Architectural and Engineering Managers

Portland area$178,300
Oregon$177,190
U.S.$171,270

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.5% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.

What families pay at Portland State University, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About Portland State University

Related majors at Portland State University

Portland State University Architecture questions

How much do Portland State University Architecture graduates earn?

Architecture graduates of Portland State University earn a median $62,349 four years after graduating and $32,678 one year after. The U.S. median for Architecture graduates across 77 colleges is $67,399.

How much debt do Portland State University Architecture graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Architecture graduates of Portland State University is $25,000, about 40% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $27,000.

Where does Portland State University rank for Architecture in Oregon?

Of 2 Oregon colleges reporting Architecture graduate earnings, Portland State University ranks 2nd. The highest is University of Oregon at $67,425.

What jobs do Architecture graduates get?

A common career is architect, with a median wage of $100,490 in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA area and $99,280 nationally. Others include architectural and engineering managers.

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
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Cite this: “Portland State University Architecture: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/portland-state-university/majors/architecture (College Scorecard and BLS data).