Architecture at University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame's architecture graduates earn nearly $63,000 in their first year—putting them in the top 5% nationally for the program and $16,000 ahead of the typical architecture graduate. While that looks impressive against national figures, context matters: Indiana's only other architecture program, at Ball State, produces similar first-year outcomes ($57,600), suggesting Notre Dame's premium may be more about Indiana's strong architectural job market than the school itself. The 60th percentile state ranking confirms this program isn't dramatically outperforming locally, despite the university's elite 12% admission rate and 1510 average SAT.

The financial picture is solid but not exceptional. At $28,419, debt sits near both national and state medians for architecture programs, yielding a manageable 0.45 debt-to-earnings ratio. Graduates see steady 14% earnings growth through year four, reaching nearly $72,000. For a field known for modest starting salaries and long hours during the internship years, these numbers represent professional stability rather than spectacular returns.

This program works if your child is already committed to architecture and values Notre Dame's network and design philosophy. But if you're comparing to Ball State at likely half the cost, you're essentially paying for the Notre Dame credential rather than dramatically different career outcomes. The investment makes sense for students drawn to this specific program's reputation in the field—just recognize you're not buying your way into an earnings tier unavailable elsewhere in Indiana.