Home Schools Cornell University Architectural Sciences and Technology
Architecture · Architectural Sciences and Technology Rank #22 of 28

Architectural Sciences and Technologyat Cornell University

Graduates earn $50,428/yr in their first year — about 1.0% above the national Architectural Sciences and Technology average. Base-case 10-year earnings $549K; scenarios range from $512K to $556K depending on AI disruption.

Ithaca, NY Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
39 AT RISK
40
Optimistic
38
Pessimistic
Earnings
$50,428
1-year post-graduation
ROI
0.9x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$549K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
53% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Cornell University

While the initial earnings might seem modest for an Ivy League degree, your real return from Cornell's AAP is access and reputation. You’re not just learning design; you’re joining a network that places graduates into the world's most prestigious firms, from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in New York City to innovation hubs on the West Coast. The "Technology" in your degree is key—it signals a forward-thinking curriculum in computational design and sustainable systems that employers increasingly demand. The lower early-career pay reflects the classic architecture path: a long apprenticeship before reaching the high salaries of project management or partnership. To maximize your investment, aggressively leverage the Cornell alumni network for internships in major urban centers like NYC or Boston well before you graduate; your first job will set the entire trajectory of your career.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$512K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score38/100
Earnings Multiple1.9x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$549K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score39/100
Earnings Multiple2.1x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$556K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score40/100
Earnings Multiple2.1x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Cornell University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Architectural Sciences and Technology graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 14,500 openings/yr
$167,740/yr
Moderate
2
Architecture teachers, postsecondary
+2.0% 10-yr growth · 900 openings/yr
$101,480/yr
Moderate
3
Architectural and civil drafters
+4.1% 10-yr growth · 10,000 openings/yr
$64,280/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Architectural Sciences and Technology

How Cornell University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
WA · Public
73
DW Score
$81K
1-yr earn
21.1x
ROI
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
MA · Public
50
DW Score
$65K
1-yr earn
8.4x
ROI
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
CA · Public
53
DW Score
$59K
1-yr earn
12.2x
ROI
Iowa State University
IA · Public
53
DW Score
$58K
1-yr earn
12.8x
ROI
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
VA · Public
48
DW Score
$57K
1-yr earn
8.2x
ROI
Also at Cornell University

Other top programs at Cornell University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Cornell University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Architectural Sciences and Technology offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Architectural Sciences and Technology trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Architectural Sciences and Technology at Cornell University

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Architectural Sciences and Technology at Cornell University?

A score of 39/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Architectural Sciences and Technology. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Will AI replace Architectural Sciences and Technology careers?

With 48% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $512,016 in decade earnings vs $555,859 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Is Cornell University a hidden gem for Architectural Sciences and Technology?

After financial aid, the average student pays $129,348 over four years — 51% below the $264,056 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.