Architectural Sciences and Technologyat Illinois Institute of Technology
Graduates earn $37,948/yr in their first year — about 24.0% below the national Architectural Sciences and Technology average. Base-case 10-year earnings $455K; scenarios range from $441K to $450K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Illinois Tech
While Chicago is a global hub for architecture, your path from this specific degree isn’t a direct line to a corner office at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. This program emphasizes the "technology" side, often preparing you for roles as a BIM modeler or drafter rather than a lead designer. These are vital but less lucrative positions within large firms.
The local market is also incredibly competitive, saturated with graduates from other prestigious local and Midwestern programs. Without a professional B.Arch or M.Arch degree, which is the standard for licensure, you’ll be competing for a narrow set of technical jobs. The high risk from AI reflects how these drafting and modeling tasks are prime candidates for automation.
Your key action: investigate the program’s graduate school placement record. If your goal is to be a licensed architect, treat this degree as a stepping stone and factor in the cost and time of a master's program.
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.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Illinois Tech's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
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.
Peer schools offering Architectural Sciences and Technology
How Illinois Tech stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Illinois Tech
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Illinois Tech, 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 →Frequently asked about Architectural Sciences and Technology at Illinois Tech
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Architectural Sciences and Technology at Illinois Institute of Technology?
A score of 27/100 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 $441,472 in decade earnings vs $450,068 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Architectural Sciences and Technology from Illinois Institute of Technology?
First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.
Is Illinois Institute of Technology a hidden gem for Architectural Sciences and Technology?
After financial aid, the average student pays $77,412 over four years — 63% below the $207,052 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.