Best Architectural programs in Virginia, ranked by enrollment
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as architecture and engineering or research and development in these.
42 schools in Virginia run programs that feed this job, graduating 6,063 people a year. The job pays a median of $176,160 in Virginia across about 4,390 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Virginia that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
37 programs in Virginia that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Virginia (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 Virginia page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 14.1901In Virginia → | 868 | 14.3% | 7 | $70,724 | $24,833 |
| 2 | CIP 14.0101In Virginia → | 776 | 12.8% | 25 | $67,734 | $24,375 |
| 3 | CIP 14.0801In Virginia → | 646 | 10.7% | 6 | $69,574 | $24,625 |
| 4 | CIP 14.0901In Virginia → | 618 | 10.2% | 11 | $78,333 | $24,098 |
| 5 | CIP 14.1001In Virginia → | 497 | 8.2% | 9 | $77,636 | $25,000 |
| 6 | CIP 14.0501In Virginia → | 401 | 6.6% | 5 | $64,660 | $23,246 |
| 7 | CIP 14.0201In Virginia → | 372 | 6.1% | 3 | $72,210 | $25,000 |
| 8 | CIP 14.3501In Virginia → | 264 | 4.4% | 2 | $74,748 | $24,989 |
| 9 | CIP 14.2701In Virginia → | 251 | 4.1% | 4 | $79,942 | $20,500 |
| 10 | CIP 04.0902In Virginia → | 229 | 3.8% | 2 | $48,514 | $27,000 |
| 11 | CIP 14.9999In Virginia → | 229 | 3.8% | 5 | $73,678 | $22,938 |
| 12 | CIP 14.0701In Virginia → | 180 | 3.0% | 4 | $73,072 | $23,399 |
| 13 | CIP 14.1801In Virginia → | 96 | 1.6% | 2 | $74,110 | $23,250 |
| 14 | CIP 04.0201In Virginia → | 87 | 1.4% | 3 | $47,542 | $27,000 |
| 15 | CIP 15.1501In Virginia → | 80 | 1.3% | 3 | $68,912 | $25,236 |
| 16 | CIP 04.0301In Virginia → | 79 | 1.3% | 2 | $42,824 | $25,237 |
| 17 | CIP 14.0301In Virginia → | 61 | 1.0% | 1 | $65,020 | $23,000 |
| 18 | CIP 14.0903In Virginia → | 60 | 1.0% | 2 | $78,333 | $24,098 |
| 19 | CIP 14.3301In Virginia → | 47 | 0.8% | 1 | $75,998 | $25,314 |
| 20 | CIP 14.1301In Virginia → | 34 | 0.6% | 4 | $73,378 | $17,083 |
| 21 | CIP 15.1503In Virginia → | 33 | 0.5% | 1 | $68,912 | $25,236 |
| 22 | CIP 14.2101In Virginia → | 29 | 0.5% | 1 | $85,897 | $24,952 |
| 23 | CIP 14.3801In Virginia → | 20 | 0.3% | 4 | $72,931 | — |
| 24 | CIP 04.0601In Virginia → | 17 | 0.3% | 1 | $53,098 | $27,000 |
| 25 | CIP 14.1101In Virginia → | 16 | 0.3% | 1 | $77,174 | $26,966 |
| 26 | CIP 14.2301In Virginia → | 13 | 0.2% | 1 | $73,724 | $23,250 |
| 27 | CIP 14.1401In Virginia → | 11 | 0.2% | 1 | $64,608 | $23,250 |
| 28 | CIP 14.1201In Virginia → | 9 | 0.1% | 3 | $57,457 | $24,706 |
| 29 | CIP 04.0401In Virginia → | 8 | 0.1% | 2 | $40,176 | $22,844 |
| 30 | CIP 14.2201In Virginia → | 6 | 0.1% | 2 | $92,559 | $27,000 |
| 31 | CIP 14.3601In Virginia → | 6 | 0.1% | 1 | $72,154 | $21,457 |
| 32 | CIP 14.0702In Virginia → | 5 | 0.1% | 1 | $73,072 | $23,399 |
| 33 | CIP 14.2401In Virginia → | 5 | 0.1% | 1 | $69,707 | $26,500 |
| 34 | CIP 14.3201In Virginia → | 4 | 0.1% | 1 | $71,651 | $27,000 |
| 35 | CIP 14.1004In Virginia → | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | $77,636 | $25,000 |
| 36 | CIP 40.1001In Virginia → | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | $72,216 | $24,750 |
| 37 | CIP 52.0216In Virginia → | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | $43,506 | $25,000 |
Top 25 schools in Virginia
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 9 of the 42 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA Public · 26 feeder programs | 2,589 | Mechanical Engineering | $78,280 | 86% | — | 55% |
| 2 | University of Virginia - Main Campus Charlottesville, VA Public · 15 feeder programs | 1,006 | Systems Engineering | $91,178 | 96% | — | 17% |
| 3 | George Mason University Fairfax, VA Public · 10 feeder programs | 580 | Civil Engineering, General | $75,822 | 68% | — | 87% |
| 4 | Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA Public · 8 feeder programs | 448 | Engineering, General | — | 46% | — | 90% |
| 5 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA Public · 8 feeder programs | 325 | Mechanical Engineering | $73,355 | 63% | — | 93% |
| 6 | Northern Virginia Community College Annandale, VA Public · 2 feeder programs | 230 | Engineering, General | $16,790 | 33% | — | — |
| 7 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 211 | Engineering/Industrial Management | — | 65% | $28,911 | 99% |
| 8 | James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 78 | Engineering, General | $71,176 | 80% | — | 72% |
| 9 | Tidewater Community College Norfolk, VA Public · 2 feeder programs | 67 | Engineering, General | $68,555 | 32% | — | — |
| 10 | Virginia Military Institute Lexington, VA Public · 3 feeder programs | 67 | Civil Engineering, General | $61,547 | 76% | — | 71% |
| 11 | Germanna Community College Locust Grove, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 35 | Engineering, General | — | 46% | — | — |
| 12 | Norfolk State University Norfolk, VA Public · 3 feeder programs | 33 | Electrical and Electronics Engineering | — | 38% | — | 88% |
| 13 | ECPI University Virginia Beach, VA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 32 | Systems Engineering | — | 42% | $21,909 | 75% |
| 14 | Virginia Western Community College Roanoke, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 32 | Engineering, General | — | 40% | — | — |
| 15 | Brightpoint Community College Chester, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 30 | Engineering, General | — | 38% | — | — |
| 16 | J Sargeant Reynolds Community College Richmond, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 30 | Engineering, General | — | 32% | — | — |
| 17 | Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA Public · 2 feeder programs | 27 | Computer Engineering, General | — | 72% | — | 86% |
| 18 | Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 26 | Engineering Science | — | 94% | $11,983 | 14% |
| 19 | Virginia Peninsula Community College Hampton, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 24 | Engineering, General | — | 34% | — | — |
| 20 | Laurel Ridge Community College Middletown, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 20 | Engineering, General | — | 45% | — | — |
| 21 | Hampton University Hampton, VA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 19 | Architecture | — | 57% | $34,268 | 62% |
| 22 | Randolph - Macon College Ashland, VA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 18 | Engineering, General | — | 70% | $26,498 | 87% |
| 23 | Piedmont Virginia Community College Charlottesville, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 16 | Engineering, General | — | 39% | — | — |
| 24 | Eastern Mennonite University Harrisonburg, VA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 13 | Engineering, General | — | 67% | $21,933 | 100% |
| 25 | University of Fairfax Salem, VA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 13 | Computer Engineering, General | — | — | — | — |
All 42 schools in Virginia
Every school in Virginia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Blacksburg | Public | 2,589 | 26 |
| University of Virginia - Main Campus | Charlottesville | Public | 1,006 | 15 |
| George Mason University | Fairfax | Public | 580 | 10 |
| Old Dominion University | Norfolk | Public | 448 | 8 |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond | Public | 325 | 8 |
| Northern Virginia Community College | Annandale | Public | 230 | 2 |
| Liberty University | Lynchburg | Private not-for-profit | 211 | 7 |
| James Madison University | Harrisonburg | Public | 78 | 1 |
| Tidewater Community College | Norfolk | Public | 67 | 2 |
| Virginia Military Institute | Lexington | Public | 67 | 3 |
| Germanna Community College | Locust Grove | Public | 35 | 1 |
| Norfolk State University | Norfolk | Public | 33 | 3 |
| ECPI University | Virginia Beach | Private for-profit | 32 | 1 |
| Virginia Western Community College | Roanoke | Public | 32 | 1 |
| Brightpoint Community College | Chester | Public | 30 | 1 |
What architectural and engineering managers earn in Virginia
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $171,270. Virginia pays above the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in Virginia
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 Virginia
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 Virginia.
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 868 degrees in Virginia in 2024-25, 14.3% 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 37 programs to this occupation. The largest are Mechanical Engineering, Engineering, Computer Engineering, Civil Engineering, plus 29 more. Together they graduate about 6,063 people a year in Virginia.
How much do architectural and engineering managers earn in Virginia?+
The median is $176,160 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 2.9% 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 Virginia?+
42 institutions in Virginia reported graduates from at least one of the 37 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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