Architecture And Related ServicesSpecialization of Environmental Design

Best institutions to study Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture

CIP 04.0402New in CIP 2020

A program that focuses on the design and performance of healthcare environments to optimize healing.

2 U.S. institutions graduated 21 Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 04.0402, a specialization of Environmental Design (CIP 04.04), and leads most directly to the Interior Designers occupation (BLS SOC 27-1025).

Institutions
2
offering CIP 04.0402
States offered
2
with graduates reported
Graduates / yr
21
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Women
81%
share of graduates
US median pay · Interior Designers
$67,190
BLS OEWS May 2025
Share of Environmental Design
2.7%
of all Environmental Design graduates

About Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture programs

Official NCES definition · CIP 04.0402
A program that focuses on the design and performance of healthcare environments to optimize healing. Includes instruction in interior design, architecture, healing sciences, healthcare environments, human-centered design, and healthcare delivery.

See also: 30.3701 - Design for Human Health.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).

The Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture program focuses on the design and performance of healthcare environments to optimize healing. It is part of the broader Environmental Design field and is ideal for students interested in creating spaces that enhance patient care and well-being. This program combines elements of architecture and interior design tailored specifically for healthcare settings.

What you'll learn

Students will gain knowledge in areas such as healing sciences, human-centered design, and healthcare delivery. Core skills include critical thinking, active listening, and proficiency in computer-aided drafting (CAD) software, enabling them to create compliant and functional healthcare environments.

Credentials awarded

What Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).

  • Postbaccalaureate certificate14 graduates / yr · 1 institution
    67%
  • Master's degree7 graduates / yr · 1 institution
    33%

Graduates over time

Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.

21graduates in 2025
+950% since 2020
20202025221
Graduates per year (IPEDS completions)
YearGraduates
20202
20215
202211
202311
20249
202521

CIP 04.0402 was introduced in CIP 2020, so the series starts when institutions began reporting under the new code.

Top 2 institutions for Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture, ranked by graduates

Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.

#InstitutionGraduates / yrGrad rateNet price
1Texas A&M University - College Station
College Station, TXPublicPost-degree cert.
1484%—
2Boston Architectural College
Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's
732%$41,647

Offered in 2 states

Where Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture graduates come from. Each state links to all Environmental Design programs offered there.

StateInstitutionsGraduates / yrTop institution by graduates
Texas114Texas A&M University - College Station14 / yr
Massachusetts17Boston Architectural College7 / yr

Careers & outlook

The payoff after graduation: occupation 27-1025, Interior Designers, and its national outlook.

Graduates of this program can pursue careers as Interior Designers, with additional opportunities in architectural management and education. The job outlook is about as fast as average, with an expected growth rate of 3.2% and approximately 7,800 annual openings. The median wage for this field is $63,490, typically requiring a Bachelor's degree.

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+3.2%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~7,800
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$63,490
typically Bachelor's degree
National employment
71,500
Interior Designers
US average pay
$74,540
annual, BLS OEWS May 2025
US median pay
$67,190
annual

Top-paying metros

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$100,980avg
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$99,350avg
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV
$92,760avg
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
$89,330avg
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$88,370avg

Career pathways for CIP 04.0402

The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.

OccupationUS median payGrowthOpenings / yrTypical entry education
Interior Designersprimary
SOC 27-1025
$67,190+3.2%
About as fast as average
~7,800Bachelor's degree
Architectural and Engineering Managers
SOC 11-9041
$171,270+3.8%
About as fast as average
~14,500Bachelor's degree
Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary
SOC 25-1031
$96,870+2.0%
About as fast as average
~900Doctoral or professional degree
Preparation needed

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Education
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Training
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Related careers

Interior Designers
$74,540 avg · 71,500 jobs
Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary
$101,250 avg · 7,700 jobs

Skills & knowledge in Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture programs

From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.

Skills you'll build

Critical Thinking
Active Listening
Speaking
Reading Comprehension
Writing
Monitoring
Active Learning
Mathematics

Knowledge areas

Design
Customer and Personal Service
Building and Construction
English Language
Sales and Marketing
Administration and Management

Abilities that matter most

Fluency of Ideas
Originality
Oral Expression
Oral Comprehension
Visualization
Near Vision

Day-to-day work activities

Thinking Creatively
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Working with Computers
Getting Information
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates

What graduates do on the job

  • Design plans to be safe and to be compliant with the American Disabilities Act (ADA).
  • Use computer-aided drafting (CAD) and related software to produce construction documents.
  • Research health and safety code requirements to inform design.
  • Confer with client to determine factors affecting planning of interior environments, such as budget, architectural preferences, purpose, and function.
  • Advise client on interior design factors, such as space planning, layout and use of furnishings or equipment, and color coordination.
  • Coordinate with other professionals, such as contractors, architects, engineers, and plumbers, to ensure job success.

Tools and technology used

20-20 Technologies 20-20 DesignAdobe AcrobatAdobe Creative Cloud softwareAdobe IllustratorAdobe InDesignAdobe PhotoshopAutodesk 3ds MaxAutodesk Architectural Desktop

Other Environmental Design specializations

The 3 other 6-digit CIP codes under Environmental Design (CIP 04.04).

Common questions

What degrees are offered in this program?+

This program offers a Postbaccalaureate certificate and a Master's degree.

How many colleges offer this program in the U.S.?+

There are 2 colleges offering this program in the U.S.

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop skills in critical thinking, active listening, and design, among others.

What career opportunities are available after graduation?+

Graduates can work as Interior Designers and in related fields, with a median wage of $63,490.

What is the CIP code for Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture?+

Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture is CIP 04.0402 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Environmental Design (CIP 04.04). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the design and performance of healthcare environments to optimize healing. Includes instruction in interior design, architecture, healing sciences, healthcare environments, human-centered design, and healthcare delivery.

How many institutions offer Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture programs?+

2 U.S. institutions reported Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 2 states, awarding 21 credentials in the year. That is 2.7% of all Environmental Design graduates.

How much do Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture graduates earn?+

Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Interior Designers occupation, which Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture most directly leads to, pays a median of $67,190 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Environmental Design by stateTexasMassachusetts

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.

Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.

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