Best Architectural programs in Colorado, ranked by enrollment
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as architecture and engineering or research and development in these.
21 schools in Colorado run programs that feed this job, graduating 5,361 people a year. The job pays a median of $183,810 in Colorado across about 4,900 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Colorado that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
40 programs in Colorado that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Colorado (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Colorado page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 14.1901In Colorado → | 1,239 | 23.1% | 10 | $70,724 | $24,833 |
| 2 | CIP 14.0201In Colorado → | 592 | 11.0% | 4 | $72,210 | $25,000 |
| 3 | CIP 14.1001In Colorado → | 555 | 10.4% | 8 | $77,636 | $25,000 |
| 4 | CIP 14.0801In Colorado → | 448 | 8.4% | 6 | $69,574 | $24,625 |
| 5 | CIP 14.0701In Colorado → | 274 | 5.1% | 3 | $73,072 | $23,399 |
| 6 | CIP 14.0101In Colorado → | 240 | 4.5% | 13 | $67,734 | $24,375 |
| 7 | CIP 14.2701In Colorado → | 228 | 4.3% | 6 | $79,942 | $20,500 |
| 8 | CIP 14.0501In Colorado → | 205 | 3.8% | 4 | $64,660 | $23,246 |
| 9 | CIP 14.1401In Colorado → | 182 | 3.4% | 4 | $64,608 | $23,250 |
| 10 | CIP 04.0401In Colorado → | 175 | 3.3% | 2 | $40,176 | $22,844 |
| 11 | CIP 04.0902In Colorado → | 151 | 2.8% | 1 | $48,514 | $27,000 |
| 12 | CIP 14.1801In Colorado → | 102 | 1.9% | 3 | $74,110 | $23,250 |
| 13 | CIP 14.4701In Colorado → | 89 | 1.7% | 2 | — | — |
| 14 | CIP 14.4501In Colorado → | 86 | 1.6% | 2 | $59,620 | $23,012 |
| 15 | CIP 14.1201In Colorado → | 85 | 1.6% | 2 | $57,457 | $24,706 |
| 16 | CIP 04.0501In Colorado → | 75 | 1.4% | 1 | $44,811 | $23,250 |
| 17 | CIP 14.3901In Colorado → | 74 | 1.4% | 1 | $64,080 | $23,410 |
| 18 | CIP 14.0901In Colorado → | 70 | 1.3% | 6 | $78,333 | $24,098 |
| 19 | CIP 14.2001In Colorado → | 58 | 1.1% | 1 | $75,484 | $26,634 |
| 20 | Architectural Engineeringmain feeder CIP 14.0401In Colorado → | 55 | 1.0% | 1 | $73,510 | $25,790 |
| 21 | CIP 15.1501In Colorado → | 55 | 1.0% | 1 | $68,912 | $25,236 |
| 22 | CIP 14.2101In Colorado → | 48 | 0.9% | 1 | $85,897 | $24,952 |
| 23 | CIP 14.2501In Colorado → | 45 | 0.8% | 1 | $68,913 | $25,000 |
| 24 | CIP 04.0301In Colorado → | 30 | 0.6% | 1 | $42,824 | $25,237 |
| 25 | CIP 04.0601In Colorado → | 26 | 0.5% | 1 | $53,098 | $27,000 |
| 26 | CIP 14.9999In Colorado → | 26 | 0.5% | 3 | $73,678 | $22,938 |
| 27 | CIP 14.4201In Colorado → | 25 | 0.5% | 3 | $72,645 | $24,250 |
| 28 | CIP 14.4301In Colorado → | 25 | 0.5% | 1 | $68,934 | $19,344 |
| 29 | CIP 14.3601In Colorado → | 18 | 0.3% | 2 | $72,154 | $21,457 |
| 30 | CIP 14.0903In Colorado → | 15 | 0.3% | 2 | $78,333 | $24,098 |
| 31 | CIP 14.2301In Colorado → | 15 | 0.3% | 1 | $73,724 | $23,250 |
| 32 | CIP 14.3501In Colorado → | 13 | 0.2% | 2 | $74,748 | $24,989 |
| 33 | CIP 14.1004In Colorado → | 11 | 0.2% | 1 | $77,636 | $25,000 |
| 34 | CIP 40.1001In Colorado → | 8 | 0.1% | 1 | $72,216 | $24,750 |
| 35 | CIP 14.1301In Colorado → | 6 | 0.1% | 1 | $73,378 | $17,083 |
| 36 | CIP 14.3301In Colorado → | 4 | 0.1% | 1 | $75,998 | $25,314 |
| 37 | CIP 14.0601In Colorado → | 3 | 0.1% | 1 | $71,644 | $23,375 |
| 38 | CIP 14.0702In Colorado → | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | $73,072 | $23,399 |
| 39 | CIP 14.0999In Colorado → | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | $78,333 | $24,098 |
| 40 | CIP 14.0805In Colorado → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $69,574 | $24,625 |
Top 21 schools in Colorado
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 9 of the 21 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO Public · 17 feeder programs | 1,881 | Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General | $81,835 | 74% | — | 78% |
| 2 | Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO Public · 20 feeder programs | 1,538 | Mechanical Engineering | $74,145 | 82% | — | 61% |
| 3 | Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO Public · 17 feeder programs | 816 | Mechanical Engineering | $60,720 | 67% | — | 89% |
| 4 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Denver, CO Public · 10 feeder programs | 378 | Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology | $43,953 | 46% | — | 75% |
| 5 | United States Air Force Academy USAF Academy, CO Public · 6 feeder programs | 301 | Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General | — | 88% | — | 14% |
| 6 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs Colorado Springs, CO Public · 6 feeder programs | 136 | Mechanical Engineering | $70,440 | 47% | — | 97% |
| 7 | University of Denver Denver, CO Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 109 | Mechanical Engineering | $65,014 | 76% | $29,726 | 78% |
| 8 | Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO Public · 4 feeder programs | 59 | Materials Engineering | — | 32% | — | 99% |
| 9 | Front Range Community College Westminster, CO Public · 3 feeder programs | 29 | Engineering, General | — | 35% | — | — |
| 10 | Red Rocks Community College Lakewood, CO Public · 1 feeder programs | 29 | Engineering, General | — | 32% | — | — |
| 11 | Fort Lewis College Durango, CO Public · 2 feeder programs | 20 | Engineering, General | $50,985 | 36% | — | 77% |
| 12 | Colorado State University Pueblo Pueblo, CO Public · 3 feeder programs | 15 | Engineering, Other | $76,059 | 40% | — | 95% |
| 13 | University of Northern Colorado Greeley, CO Public · 1 feeder programs | 10 | Computer Software Engineering | $56,557 | 51% | — | 86% |
| 14 | Colorado Christian University Lakewood, CO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 8 | Industrial Engineering | — | 64% | $23,447 | — |
| 15 | Colorado Technical University - Colorado Springs Colorado Springs, CO Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 8 | Electrical and Electronics Engineering | — | 19% | $16,966 | — |
| 16 | Community College of Denver Denver, CO Public · 2 feeder programs | 7 | Mechanical Engineering | — | 20% | — | — |
| 17 | Pikes Peak State College Colorado Springs, CO Public · 1 feeder programs | 6 | Mechanical Engineering | — | 21% | — | — |
| 18 | Regis University Denver, CO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Computer Software Engineering | — | 61% | $22,407 | 86% |
| 19 | Arapahoe Community College Littleton, CO Public · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Engineering, General | — | 29% | — | — |
| 20 | Pueblo Community College Pueblo, CO Public · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Engineering, General | — | 31% | — | — |
| 21 | Adams State University Alamosa, CO Public · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Engineering, General | — | 39% | — | — |
All 21 schools in Colorado
Every school in Colorado with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Colorado Boulder | Boulder | Public | 1,881 | 17 |
| Colorado School of Mines | Golden | Public | 1,538 | 20 |
| Colorado State University - Fort Collins | Fort Collins | Public | 816 | 17 |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | Denver | Public | 378 | 10 |
| United States Air Force Academy | USAF Academy | Public | 301 | 6 |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | Colorado Springs | Public | 136 | 6 |
| University of Denver | Denver | Private not-for-profit | 109 | 7 |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver | Denver | Public | 59 | 4 |
| Front Range Community College | Westminster | Public | 29 | 3 |
| Red Rocks Community College | Lakewood | Public | 29 | 1 |
| Fort Lewis College | Durango | Public | 20 | 2 |
| Colorado State University Pueblo | Pueblo | Public | 15 | 3 |
| University of Northern Colorado | Greeley | Public | 10 | 1 |
| Colorado Christian University | Lakewood | Private not-for-profit | 8 | 1 |
| Colorado Technical University - Colorado Springs | Colorado Springs | Private for-profit | 8 | 2 |
What architectural and engineering managers earn in Colorado
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $171,270. Colorado pays above the national figure.
Concentrated here: Colorado employs more of this job per worker than the U.S. average.
Metro areas in Colorado
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Architectural and Engineering Managers page.
How to become a Architectural
Job zone 5 of 5 · SVP 8.0 and above- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience needed
- 5 years or more
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Colorado
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 25 majors mapped to Architectural and Engineering Managers25 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 04.0201Architecture
- 04.0202Architectural Design
- 04.0301City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning
- 04.0401Environmental Design/Architecture
- 04.0402Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture
- 04.0501Interior Architecture
- 04.0601Landscape Architecture
- 04.0902Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology
- 14.0101Engineering, General
- 14.0201Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General
- 14.0202Astronautical Engineering
- 14.0299Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, Other
- 14.0301Agricultural Engineering
- 14.0401Architectural Engineering
- 14.0501Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering
- 14.0601Ceramic Sciences and Engineering
- 14.0701Chemical Engineering
- 14.0702Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
- 14.0799Chemical Engineering, Other
- 14.0801Civil Engineering, General
- 14.0802Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
- 14.0803Structural Engineering
- 14.0804Transportation and Highway Engineering
- 14.0805Water Resources Engineering
- 14.0899Civil Engineering, Other
Common questions
Answers for people weighing architectural and engineering managers programs in Colorado.
What degree do you need to become an Architectural?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Mechanical Engineering, which awarded 1,239 degrees in Colorado in 2024-25, 23.1% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming an Architectural?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 40 programs to this occupation. The largest are Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace, Electrical, Civil Engineering, plus 31 more. Together they graduate about 5,361 people a year in Colorado.
How much do architectural and engineering managers earn in Colorado?+
The median is $183,810 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 7.3% above the U.S. median of $171,270. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for architectural and engineering managers growing?+
BLS projects a +3.8% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 14,500 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Colorado?+
21 institutions in Colorado reported graduates from at least one of the 40 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do architectural and engineering managers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Project Manager, Engineering Director, Biodiesel Division Manager, Engineering Program Manager, Project Engineering Manager, Project Development Director among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 11-9041.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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