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Engineering · Architectural Engineering Rank #11 of 12

Architectural Engineeringat Drexel University

Graduates earn $76,272/yr in their first year — about 6.0% above the national Architectural Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $788K; scenarios range from $691K to $819K depending on AI disruption.

Philadelphia, PA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
56 SOLID
57
Optimistic
54
Pessimistic
Earnings
$76,272
1-year post-graduation
ROI
2.8x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$788K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
52% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Drexel University

Drexel's Architectural Engineering program uniquely positions you in a niche field, often leading to strong career starts. This is largely driven by its renowned co-op program, which provides significant on-the-job experience before graduation. You'll enter the workforce with a developed professional network and practical skills, making you highly attractive to integrated design and construction firms in the robust Greater Philadelphia and Mid-Atlantic AEC market. While AI presents evolving challenges by automating some design and analysis tasks, your interdisciplinary training in project integration and management offers resilience. The ability to bridge architectural vision with engineering feasibility, particularly in complex projects, remains a critical human skill. Focus on maximizing your co-op experiences to build a diverse portfolio demonstrating your capacity to lead and integrate across design disciplines.

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
$691K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score54/100
Earnings Multiple2.8x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$788K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score56/100
Earnings Multiple3.2x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$819K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score57/100
Earnings Multiple3.4x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Career Paths

Where Architectural Engineering 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
Engineers, all other
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 9,300 openings/yr
$117,750/yr
Moderate
3
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
+8.1% 10-yr growth · 4,100 openings/yr
$106,120/yr
High
4
Architecture teachers, postsecondary
+2.0% 10-yr growth · 900 openings/yr
$101,480/yr
Moderate
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 Engineering

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

Highest earnings
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
CA · Public
73
DW Score
$80K
1-yr earn
20.9x
ROI
Auburn University
AL · Public
72
DW Score
$77K
1-yr earn
18.9x
ROI
University of Kansas
KS · Public
58
DW Score
$76K
1-yr earn
15.3x
ROI
Kansas State University
KS · Public
70
DW Score
$74K
1-yr earn
19.1x
ROI
The University of Texas at Austin
TX · Public
72
DW Score
$74K
1-yr earn
20.6x
ROI
Also at Drexel University

Other top programs at Drexel University

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

FAQ

Frequently asked about Architectural Engineering at Drexel University

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Architectural Engineering at Drexel University?

This program scores 56/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Architectural Engineering programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.

Will AI replace Architectural Engineering careers?

With 47% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $691,169 in decade earnings vs $819,147 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.