Architecture at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

At nearly $44,300 right out of school, Minnesota's architecture graduates earn 48% more than the national median for their major—placing them in the 95th percentile nationally. That's a significant premium for a program with well-below-average debt of just $22,000. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.5 means graduates can realistically pay off loans within a couple of years while establishing their careers.

The catch? Minnesota is the only school offering a bachelor's in architecture in-state, and the sample size here is under 30 graduates. That makes it hard to know if these strong outcomes are consistent year-to-year or reflect a particularly successful cohort. The state percentile ranking of 60th is less meaningful given there's no in-state competition, though it does suggest some variation in outcomes among the small graduate pool.

For families weighing this program, the combination of strong earnings and manageable debt looks promising, especially compared to architecture programs nationally where $26,500 debt is typical against much lower starting salaries. Just recognize you're looking at limited data—talking to current students and recent alumni would help confirm whether these outcomes hold steady across graduating classes.