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Best Value Landscape Architecture Colleges

Ranked by best return on investment (earnings vs. cost). See our methodology.

Ball State University delivers the highest earnings potential for market architecture graduates at $50,320, despite charging a mid-range net price of $15,898. This Indiana program outperforms even lower-cost options like Cal Poly Pomona, which costs just $11,580 but produces graduates earning $49,136. The earnings gap between top and bottom performers spans nearly $9,000 annually, with Nebraska leading at $51,273 and Washington trailing at $45,696. Public universities dominate this field, reflecting the profession's close ties to municipal planning and state park systems. The Mountain West and Midwest regions show particularly strong value propositions, with Utah State offering the second-lowest costs at $12,869 while still maintaining respectable graduate earnings of $47,729. Acceptance rates vary dramatically from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo's selective 30% to North Dakota State's open 96%, yet both schools produce graduates earning within $600 of each other.
50
Programs
$6,351 – $39,778
Net Price Range
$47,347
Avg. Program Earnings
71.4%
Avg. Graduation Rate

50 Landscape Architecture Programs

Program rankings
# School Net Price Program Earnings In-State Tuition Graduation Rate Acceptance Rate
1 $11,580 $49,136 $7,439 66.7% 55.4%
2 $12,869 $47,729 $9,228 57.3% 93.7%
3 $12,997 $46,478 $9,648 61.2% 88.4%
4 $13,816 $46,966 $11,180 87.2% 42.6%
5 $13,485 $45,696 $12,643 83.7% 47.5%
6 $13,945 $46,869 $9,992 83.1% 52.7%
7 $13,670 $45,207 $12,051 67.8% 89.8%
8 $15,898 $50,320 $10,758 63.3% 69.0%
9 $15,624 $48,041 $11,075 85.2% 30.4%
10 $15,288 $46,087 $15,247 85.1% 37.3%
11 $16,334 $48,682 $10,857 63.7% 95.7%
12 $16,928 $50,439 $11,205 89.3% 49.1%
13 $17,424 $51,273 $10,108 65.8% 78.6%
14 $17,525 $47,260 $9,748 70.0% 78.9%
15 $18,292 $48,432 $12,859 87.7% 52.7%
16 $18,165 $46,924 $10,497 75.5% 90.2%
17 $20,015 $51,273 $11,954 71.0% 75.7%
18 $20,924 $50,231 $13,099 83.8% 62.7%
19 $20,071 $47,260 $11,852 67.5% 67.3%
20 $18,730 $42,682 $9,206 69.9% 69.5%
21 $23,519 $52,107 $17,239 85.0% 66.3%
22 $20,332 $44,590 $12,896 66.9% 90.8%
23 $19,899 $42,123 $16,408 71.0% 76.4%
24 $21,782 $45,696 $15,669 71.5% 86.3%
25 $23,790 $49,562 $15,478 86.3% 57.0%
26 $23,691 $48,745 $17,357 83.2% 63.5%
27 $22,112 $43,798 $15,554 87.9% 43.0%
28 $29,219 $42,123 $22,082 74.7% 79.7%
29 $18,219 $9,299 59.6% 86.1%
30 $7,668 $6,920 30.2%
31 $28,163 $45,683 68.2% 88.9%
32 $11,504 $17,462 56.7% 97.4%
33 $14,059 $17,472 56.9% 92.2%
34 $14,401 $12,997 61.6% 83.1%
35 $16,378 $10,234 65.9% 70.6%
36 $8,896 $17,462 59.5% 97.9%
37 $13,339 $17,452 65.4% 97.3%
38 $15,590 $11,505 88.6% 44.6%
39 $15,960 $13,626 65.9% 86.8%
40 $39,778 $28,024 40.5%
41 $14,979 $14,850 92.9% 11.3%
42 $22,886 $20,366 83.8% 54.5%
43 $16,931 $16,080 78.8% 73.8%
44 $9,133 $6,565 73.9% 63.9%
45 $6,351 $6,381 91.5% 23.4%
46 $13,782 $8,816 60.9% 73.9%
47 $15,201 $16,004 84.9% 44.8%
48 $17,883 $10,942 70.5% 95.1%
49 $17,218 $13,212 69.9% 94.9%
50 $6,935 $2,336 31.4%

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Ball State University stand out for market architecture value?

Ball State generates the highest graduate earnings at $50,320 while maintaining a net price of $15,898, creating an strong return on investment. The program accepts 69% of applicants and graduates 63% of students. This combination of strong earning potential with reasonable selectivity makes it accessible to many students while delivering top-tier career outcomes.

How do the most affordable programs compare in graduate earnings?

Cal Poly Pomona offers the lowest net cost at $11,580 and still produces graduates earning $49,136, just $1,184 less than Ball State. Utah State follows closely at $12,869 net cost with $47,729 in graduate earnings. The most affordable tier proves that lower costs don't necessarily mean compromised career prospects in this field.

Is there a significant earnings difference between highly selective and open-admission programs?

North Dakota State accepts 96% of applicants and produces graduates earning $48,682, while highly selective Cal Poly San Luis Obispo accepts just 30% yet generates similar earnings at $48,041. This $641 difference suggests that program quality and regional job markets matter more than admission selectivity. Several open-admission programs actually outperform their selective counterparts in graduate earnings.

Does geographic location affect market architecture program value?

Western programs show mixed results, with Cal Poly Pomona delivering strong value but UC Davis costing $15,288 for similar earnings. Midwestern programs like Nebraska and Wisconsin consistently show strong earnings above $50,000. The Mountain West region offers particularly good value, with Utah State combining low costs and decent earnings at $47,729.

What graduation rate should students expect from these value programs?

Graduation rates range from Utah State's 57% to Wisconsin's 89%, with most programs falling between 60-85%. Higher graduation rates don't always correlate with higher costs, as evidenced by Wisconsin's 89% rate at $16,928 net cost. Students should consider that programs with rates below 65% may indicate additional academic challenges or longer completion times.

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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.