Architecture at The Catholic University of America

Catholic University's architecture program starts graduates at $44,615—below the national median but exactly at DC's median for architecture programs. With only three architecture schools in the District, the local comparison is limited, though this program ranks 60th percentile within that small cohort. The $27,000 median debt matches both national and local benchmarks, yielding a manageable 0.61 debt-to-earnings ratio.

The real strength here is trajectory: earnings jump 31% to $58,215 by year four, significantly outpacing typical architecture salary growth. This suggests graduates may start at smaller firms or entry positions but advance steadily—a common pattern in architecture where licensure and experience drive compensation. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift considerably with a different cohort. One or two outliers working at prestigious DC firms could skew the averages.

For families comfortable with the statistical uncertainty, the combination of moderate debt and strong mid-term earnings growth points to solid fundamentals. Architecture is a relationship-driven field where a DC location offers access to federal projects and international firms that may explain the earnings acceleration. Just understand you're making this assessment on limited data—ask the school about recent graduate outcomes to fill in the picture.