Architecture at North Carolina State University at Raleigh

NC State's architecture program launches graduates into solid starting salaries of $57,034—outperforming 95% of architecture programs nationwide and even edging past UNC Charlotte, the only other comparable option in North Carolina. While that 60th percentile state ranking might look underwhelming at first glance, remember there are only two architecture programs in NC; this essentially means NC State's grads earn slightly more than the state median of $54,296, which is already well above the national average of $47,046.

The debt picture is reasonable for architecture, a field known for demanding five-year professional degrees and extended education. At $25,886, graduates carry slightly less debt than both state and national medians, resulting in a manageable 0.45 debt-to-earnings ratio. That means the typical graduate's debt equals less than half their first-year salary—substantially better than many architecture programs that often saddle students with $35,000+ in loans while delivering much lower starting pay.

For North Carolina families, this program offers the state's strongest architecture outcomes without breaking the budget. The combination of top-5% national earnings performance and below-median debt makes this one of the clearer value propositions in architectural education. Your child would be entering a competitive field with both a respected credential and financial breathing room to begin their career.