Best Architectural programs in North Carolina, ranked by enrollment
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as architecture and engineering or research and development in these.
21 schools in North Carolina run programs that feed this job, graduating 5,731 people a year. The job pays a median of $167,840 in North Carolina across about 6,960 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in North Carolina that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
35 programs in North Carolina that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in North Carolina (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 North Carolina page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 14.1901In North Carolina → | 912 | 15.9% | 5 | $70,724 | $24,833 |
| 2 | CIP 14.0501In North Carolina → | 732 | 12.8% | 6 | $64,660 | $23,246 |
| 3 | CIP 14.1001In North Carolina → | 620 | 10.8% | 6 | $77,636 | $25,000 |
| 4 | CIP 14.0901In North Carolina → | 605 | 10.6% | 5 | $78,333 | $24,098 |
| 5 | CIP 15.1501In North Carolina → | 422 | 7.4% | 5 | $68,912 | $25,236 |
| 6 | CIP 14.0801In North Carolina → | 395 | 6.9% | 4 | $69,574 | $24,625 |
| 7 | CIP 14.2801In North Carolina → | 272 | 4.7% | 2 | $45,078 | $24,725 |
| 8 | CIP 14.0101In North Carolina → | 265 | 4.6% | 9 | $67,734 | $24,375 |
| 9 | CIP 14.0701In North Carolina → | 263 | 4.6% | 2 | $73,072 | $23,399 |
| 10 | CIP 14.3501In North Carolina → | 192 | 3.4% | 3 | $74,748 | $24,989 |
| 11 | CIP 14.0201In North Carolina → | 154 | 2.7% | 2 | $72,210 | $25,000 |
| 12 | CIP 04.0201In North Carolina → | 121 | 2.1% | 2 | $47,542 | $27,000 |
| 13 | CIP 04.0902In North Carolina → | 96 | 1.7% | 2 | $48,514 | $27,000 |
| 14 | CIP 14.9999In North Carolina → | 84 | 1.5% | 5 | $73,678 | $22,938 |
| 15 | CIP 14.1801In North Carolina → | 73 | 1.3% | 2 | $74,110 | $23,250 |
| 16 | CIP 14.2301In North Carolina → | 69 | 1.2% | 1 | $73,724 | $23,250 |
| 17 | CIP 04.0301In North Carolina → | 66 | 1.2% | 4 | $42,824 | $25,237 |
| 18 | CIP 14.0301In North Carolina → | 59 | 1.0% | 2 | $65,020 | $23,000 |
| 19 | CIP 04.0401In North Carolina → | 54 | 0.9% | 2 | $40,176 | $22,844 |
| 20 | CIP 14.3301In North Carolina → | 52 | 0.9% | 2 | $75,998 | $25,314 |
| 21 | CIP 14.1401In North Carolina → | 42 | 0.7% | 2 | $64,608 | $23,250 |
| 22 | Architectural Engineeringmain feeder CIP 14.0401In North Carolina → | 37 | 0.6% | 1 | $73,510 | $25,790 |
| 23 | CIP 14.2701In North Carolina → | 33 | 0.6% | 2 | $79,942 | $20,500 |
| 24 | CIP 14.0903In North Carolina → | 25 | 0.4% | 1 | $78,333 | $24,098 |
| 25 | CIP 14.4201In North Carolina → | 22 | 0.4% | 2 | $72,645 | $24,250 |
| 26 | CIP 14.3601In North Carolina → | 20 | 0.3% | 1 | $72,154 | $21,457 |
| 27 | CIP 40.1001In North Carolina → | 15 | 0.3% | 2 | $72,216 | $24,750 |
| 28 | CIP 04.0601In North Carolina → | 8 | 0.1% | 1 | $53,098 | $27,000 |
| 29 | CIP 15.1502In North Carolina → | 8 | 0.1% | 1 | $68,912 | $25,236 |
| 30 | CIP 14.1201In North Carolina → | 5 | 0.1% | 2 | $57,457 | $24,706 |
| 31 | CIP 14.3801In North Carolina → | 5 | 0.1% | 1 | $72,931 | — |
| 32 | CIP 14.0803In North Carolina → | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | $69,574 | $24,625 |
| 33 | CIP 04.0501In North Carolina → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $44,811 | $23,250 |
| 34 | CIP 14.1099In North Carolina → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $77,636 | $25,000 |
| 35 | CIP 52.0216In North Carolina → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $43,506 | $25,000 |
Top 21 schools in North Carolina
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 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC Public · 22 feeder programs | 2,825 | Mechanical Engineering | $69,078 | 85% | — | 42% |
| 2 | Duke University Durham, NC Private not-for-profit · 15 feeder programs | 1,008 | Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering | $69,873 | 97% | $16,260 | 6% |
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC Public · 12 feeder programs | 803 | Mechanical Engineering | $69,178 | 69% | — | 80% |
| 4 | North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC Public · 13 feeder programs | 427 | Mechanical Engineering | $72,278 | 57% | — | 50% |
| 5 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC Public · 3 feeder programs | 248 | Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering | $70,561 | 91% | — | 15% |
| 6 | East Carolina University Greenville, NC Public · 7 feeder programs | 171 | Engineering, General | $65,758 | 63% | — | 89% |
| 7 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 65 | Engineering, General | — | 89% | $20,914 | 22% |
| 8 | Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC Public · 2 feeder programs | 55 | Engineering, General | $62,244 | 60% | — | 82% |
| 9 | Campbell University Buies Creek, NC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 27 | Engineering, General | — | 61% | $23,331 | 87% |
| 10 | Elon University Elon, NC Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 22 | Engineering, General | — | 84% | $33,688 | 66% |
| 11 | University of North Carolina Asheville Asheville, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 19 | Engineering, General | $73,410 | 54% | — | 92% |
| 12 | Central Piedmont Community College Charlotte, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 15 | Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering | — | 31% | — | — |
| 13 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 13 | Engineering, Other | — | 71% | — | 64% |
| 14 | Methodist University Fayetteville, NC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 12 | Industrial Engineering | — | 44% | $24,551 | 75% |
| 15 | Appalachian State University Boone, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 8 | City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | — | 75% | — | 90% |
| 16 | Carolina University Winston-Salem, NC Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 3 | Electrical and Electronics Engineering | — | 22% | $19,450 | 40% |
| 17 | Johnson C Smith University Charlotte, NC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Computer Engineering, General | — | 34% | $21,563 | 45% |
| 18 | Queens University of Charlotte Charlotte, NC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Engineering Physics/Applied Physics | — | 61% | $24,872 | 62% |
| 19 | Gaston College Dallas, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Textile Sciences and Engineering | — | 63% | — | — |
| 20 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Interior Architecture | — | 56% | — | 89% |
| 21 | William Peace University Raleigh, NC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Science/Technology Management | $47,278 | 45% | $23,108 | 94% |
All 21 schools in North Carolina
Every school in North Carolina 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | Raleigh | Public | 2,825 | 22 |
| Duke University | Durham | Private not-for-profit | 1,008 | 15 |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte | Public | 803 | 12 |
| North Carolina A & T State University | Greensboro | Public | 427 | 13 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill | Public | 248 | 3 |
| East Carolina University | Greenville | Public | 171 | 7 |
| Wake Forest University | Winston-Salem | Private not-for-profit | 65 | 2 |
| Western Carolina University | Cullowhee | Public | 55 | 2 |
| Campbell University | Buies Creek | Private not-for-profit | 27 | 1 |
| Elon University | Elon | Private not-for-profit | 22 | 2 |
| University of North Carolina Asheville | Asheville | Public | 19 | 1 |
| Central Piedmont Community College | Charlotte | Public | 15 | 1 |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | Wilmington | Public | 13 | 1 |
| Methodist University | Fayetteville | Private not-for-profit | 12 | 1 |
| Appalachian State University | Boone | Public | 8 | 1 |
What architectural and engineering managers earn in North Carolina
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $171,270. North Carolina pays below the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in North Carolina
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 North Carolina
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 North Carolina.
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 912 degrees in North Carolina in 2024-25, 15.9% 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 35 programs to this occupation. The largest are Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical/Medical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical, plus 27 more. Together they graduate about 5,731 people a year in North Carolina.
How much do architectural and engineering managers earn in North Carolina?+
The median is $167,840 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 2.0% below 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 North Carolina?+
21 institutions in North Carolina reported graduates from at least one of the 35 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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