Best Value Architecture Colleges in California

California's architecture programs show dramatic cost variations, with Cal State Fresno charging just $6,480 while Newschool of Architecture hits $48,616. The state's public universities deliver strong value, particularly Cal Poly Pomona graduates who earn $55,286 annually against net costs of $11,580. California's construction boom, driven by tech company campuses and housing demand, creates steady opportunities for architects. The 13 programs span from highly selective options like UC Berkeley with 11.33% acceptance to open-access schools accepting over 90% of applicants.

Programs

$6,480 – $48,616

Net Price Range

$49,396

Avg. Program Earnings

68.4%

Avg. Graduation Rate

13 Architecture Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	Program Earnings	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona, California	$11,580	$55,286	$7,439	66.7%	55.4%
2	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, California	$15,624	$55,884	$11,075	85.2%	30.4%
3	University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, California	$14,979	$51,273	$14,850	92.9%	11.3%
4	University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, California	$14,013	$31,305	$13,747	92.7%	8.6%
5	Woodbury University Burbank, California	$28,248	$49,064	$44,886	54.8%	62.6%
6	University of Southern California Los Angeles, California	$31,927	$49,437	$68,237	92.0%	12.0%
7	University of San Francisco San Francisco, California	$39,495	$55,286	$58,222	71.1%	71.2%
8	Academy of Art University San Francisco, California	$39,778	$53,810	$28,024	40.5%
9	Southern California Institute of Architecture Los Angeles, California	$37,535	$46,790	$53,564	70.0%	59.8%
10	California College of the Arts San Francisco, California	$42,168	$50,231	$57,946	58.7%	75.7%
11	Newschool of Architecture and Design San Diego, California	$48,616	$44,989	$30,291	50.9%	45.0%
12	California Baptist University Riverside, California	$27,384		$39,720	59.5%	79.9%
13	California State University-Fresno Fresno, California	$6,480		$6,980	54.8%	95.4%

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Cal Poly San Luis Obispo worth the higher public school cost?

Cal Poly SLO graduates earn $55,884, the highest among all California architecture programs, while maintaining an 85.20% graduation rate. The $15,624 net cost represents excellent value given these strong career outcomes.

How do private school graduates perform financially compared to public?

Private schools show mixed results, with USC and University of San Francisco graduates earning around $49,000-$55,000 annually. However, their net costs range from $28,248 to $42,168, making public options generally better values.

Is UC Berkeley's architecture program competitive to enter?

UC Berkeley accepts only 11.33% of applicants, making it the most selective architecture program in California. The school maintains a 92.90% graduation rate with graduates earning $51,273 annually.

Does graduation rate vary significantly among California architecture schools?

Graduation rates range from 40.50% at Academy of Art University to 92.90% at UC Berkeley. Public universities generally maintain higher completion rates, with Cal Poly SLO leading at 85.20%.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.