# Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: Architecture (bachelor's)

Troy, NY. IPEDS 194824, CIP 04.02. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/rensselaer-polytechnic-institute/majors/architecture

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $54,334
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $75,551 (U.S. median for this major: $67,399 across 77 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $31,000 (U.S. median $27,000)
- Rank in NY: 2 of 4 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the NY median for this major (4 colleges, $70,104): +$5,447
- Versus the U.S. median: +$8,152

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.16 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $75,551 minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $24,078 | $100,164 | 2.4 years |
| 30-48k | $26,289 | $109,362 | 2.7 years |
| 48-75k | $28,212 | $117,362 | 2.9 years |
| 75-110k | $36,230 | $150,717 | 3.7 years |
| 110k+ | $42,541 | $176,971 | 4.3 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Architecture at NY colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pratt Institute-Main | $78,206 | not reported | $52,659 | 74% |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | $75,551 | $31,000 | $36,228 | 84% |
| SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | $64,658 | $31,000 | $15,016 | 55% |
| University at Buffalo | $61,525 | $22,854 | $20,995 | 75% |

## Careers
- Architect (SOC 17-1011): median wage $98,350 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY, $99,280 NY, $99,280 U.S.; U.S. jobs 4.3% by 2035
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041): median wage $181,000 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY, $175,710 NY, $171,270 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.5% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).