Best Architecture & Built Environment Universities in United States 2026
65 universities in United States offering Architecture & Built Environment programs, ranked on real data. How we rank.
Looking for the best universities to study Architecture & Built Environment in United States? We rank 65 United States universities offering Architecture & Built Environment programs, ordered only on real published data — QS World reputation, admission selectivity, graduation rates and graduate earnings.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology takes the No. 1 spot with an independent grade of A+ (5% acceptance, $143,372 median graduate earnings), followed by Harvard University and University of Chicago. Each university carries an independent ScholarshipsAds grade, so you can compare quality, selectivity, tuition and graduate outcomes at a glance.
Use this ranking to shortlist where to apply for a Architecture & Built Environment degree in United States, then open any university for its full review, programs, tuition and scholarships.
1
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyA+
Cambridge, Massachusetts · United States · Global #1 · QS #1
5% acceptance 96% graduation $143,372 earnings 4,535 students
2
Harvard UniversityA+
Cambridge, Massachusetts · United States · Global #5 · QS #5
4% acceptance 98% graduation $101,817 earnings 7,601 students
3
University of ChicagoB+
Chicago, Illinois · United States · Global #9 · QS #10
77% acceptance 62% graduation $68,740 earnings 22,170 students
4
University of PennsylvaniaA+
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #12 · QS #13
5% acceptance 97% graduation $111,371 earnings 10,650 students
5
Yale UniversityA
New Haven, Connecticut · United States · Global #13 · QS #15
4% acceptance 96% graduation $100,533 earnings 6,758 students
6
Columbia UniversityA
New York, New York · United States · Global #17 · QS #19
4% acceptance 96% graduation $102,491 earnings 8,973 students
8
University of MichiganA+
Ann Arbor, Michigan · United States · Global #22 · QS #24
16% acceptance 93% graduation $83,648 earnings 34,177 students
9
Johns Hopkins UniversityA
Baltimore, Maryland · United States · Global #23 · QS #25
6% acceptance 94% graduation $87,555 earnings 5,693 students
10
New York UniversityB
New Paltz, New York · United States · Global #37 · QS #42
62% acceptance 72% graduation $58,073 earnings 6,086 students
11
Duke UniversityA
Durham, North Carolina · United States · Global #45 · QS #53
6% acceptance 97% graduation $97,800 earnings 6,442 students
12
University of Texas at AustinA-
Austin, Texas · United States · Global #56 · QS #67
27% acceptance 89% graduation $75,121 earnings 42,855 students
13
University of Wisconsin–MadisonA-
Madison, Wisconsin · United States · Global #64 · QS #76
45% acceptance 90% graduation $73,792 earnings 36,902 students
14
University of WashingtonB-
Bellingham, Washington · United States · Global #72 · QS #86
93% acceptance 65% graduation $62,569 earnings 13,544 students
15
Georgia Institute of TechnologyA+
Atlanta, Georgia · United States · Global #75 · QS #89
14% acceptance 94% graduation $102,772 earnings 18,785 students
16
Rice UniversityA-
Houston, Texas · United States · Global #81 · QS #95
8% acceptance 95% graduation $89,718 earnings 4,776 students
17
Boston UniversityB+
Boston, Massachusetts · United States · Global #97 · QS #114
11% acceptance 89% graduation $83,238 earnings 18,248 students
18
University of Southern CaliforniaC+
Costa Mesa, California · United States · Global #99 · QS #116
62% acceptance 57% graduation $59,541 earnings 1,933 students
19
Michigan State UniversityB-
East Lansing, Michigan · United States · Global #136 · QS #158
85% acceptance 81% graduation $67,253 earnings 40,922 students
20
Case Western Reserve UniversityB
Cleveland, Ohio · United States · Global #139 · QS #162
37% acceptance 87% graduation $87,989 earnings 6,437 students
21
University of PittsburghB
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #142 · QS #165
58% acceptance 86% graduation $66,125 earnings 20,370 students
22
University of VirginiaA-
Charlottesville, Virginia · United States · Global #189 · QS #230
17% acceptance 96% graduation $86,863 earnings 17,597 students
23
U
University of Massachusetts AmherstB-
Amherst, Massachusetts · United States · Global #200 · QS #248
60% acceptance 83% graduation $71,631 earnings 23,671 students
24
University of ArizonaC+
Tucson, Arizona · United States · Global #214 · QS #270
86% acceptance 68% graduation $59,979 earnings 42,537 students
25
North Carolina State UniversityB
Raleigh, North Carolina · United States · Global #234 · QS #301
42% acceptance 85% graduation $68,758 earnings 27,371 students
26
I
Indiana University BloomingtonB-
Bloomington, Indiana · United States · Global #244 · QS #312
78% acceptance 80% graduation $63,742 earnings 37,806 students
27
Northeastern UniversityB
Oakland, California · United States · Global #263 · QS #343
17% acceptance $92,538 earnings 464 students
28
University of KansasC+
Lawrence, Kansas · United States · Global #286 · QS #388
93% acceptance 69% graduation $61,945 earnings 21,217 students
29
U
University at BuffaloB-
Buffalo, New York · United States · Global #287 · QS #389
74% acceptance 75% graduation $70,814 earnings 20,112 students
30
Colorado State UniversityC
Fort Collins, Colorado · United States · Global #305 · QS #431
89% acceptance 67% graduation $60,543 earnings 25,538 students
31
Tulane UniversityB-
New Orleans, Louisiana · United States · Global #307 · QS #437
14% acceptance 86% graduation $63,268 earnings 7,767 students
32
Iowa State UniversityC+
Ames, Iowa · United States · Global #342 · QS #498
89% acceptance 75% graduation $63,386 earnings 25,367 students
33
University of South FloridaB-
Tampa, Florida · United States · Global #380 · QS #590
43% acceptance 77% graduation $57,743 earnings 37,207 students
34
University of CincinnatiC-
Cincinnati, Ohio · United States · Global #409 · QS #641
85% acceptance 75% graduation $54,810 earnings 29,882 students
35
Drexel UniversityC
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #420 · QS #656
79% acceptance 78% graduation $84,648 earnings 13,233 students
36
Syracuse UniversityC+
Syracuse, New York · United States · Global #428 · QS #677
46% acceptance 84% graduation $79,164 earnings 15,477 students
37
University of MarylandC
Baltimore, Maryland · United States · Global #475 · QS #794
75% acceptance 79% graduation $82,652 earnings 3,869 students
38
Florida International UniversityC+
Miami, Florida · United States · Global #488 · QS #829
55% acceptance 74% graduation $60,249 earnings 39,508 students
39
Indiana UniversityD+
Terre Haute, Indiana · United States · Global #492 · QS #837
81% acceptance 43% graduation $48,387 earnings 6,188 students
40
University of HartfordD
West Hartford, Connecticut · United States · Global #522 · QS #950
96% acceptance 54% graduation $60,823 earnings 4,146 students
41
Kent State UniversityD
Kent, Ohio · United States · Global #555 · QS #1052
86% acceptance 64% graduation $45,388 earnings 19,320 students
42
Portland State UniversityD+
Portland, Oregon · United States · Global #565 · QS #1078
91% acceptance 53% graduation $57,906 earnings 13,182 students
43
Rochester Institute of TechnologyC-
Rochester, New York · United States · Global #566 · QS #1081
67% acceptance 70% graduation $76,571 earnings 13,215 students
44
University of San DiegoB-
La Jolla, California · United States · Global #594 · QS #1177
27% acceptance 86% graduation $84,943 earnings 34,948 students
45
Utah State UniversityD+
Logan, Utah · United States · Global #602 · QS #1195
92% acceptance 59% graduation $54,022 earnings 20,272 students
46
Florida International UniversityC+
Miami, Florida · United States · Global #678
55% acceptance 74% graduation $60,249 earnings 39,508 students
47
North Dakota State UniversityC-
Fargo, North Dakota · United States · Global #811
95% acceptance 64% graduation $62,203 earnings 9,471 students
48
University of North DakotaC-
Fargo, North Dakota · United States · Global #819
95% acceptance 64% graduation $62,203 earnings 9,471 students
49
Ithaca CollegeD+
Ithaca, New York · United States · Global #831
69% acceptance 76% graduation $63,548 earnings 4,242 students
50
Marywood UniversityD+
Scranton, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #864
61% acceptance 72% graduation $55,817 earnings 1,784 students
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