Top 10 Architectural Engineering Colleges

Architectural engineering students learn to design skyscrapers.

Though engineering programs exist at nearly every major university in the country, architectural engineering (AE) programs are much more specialized and, therefore, harder to find. Such programs teach students to design skyscrapers and other extraordinary buildings. These buildings need to withstand earthquakes and even terrorist attacks, so the AE curricula at the schools listed below are extremely rigorous.

Pennsylvania State University

Established in 1910, Penn State boasts the oldest architectural engineering program in the country. The university has a large and well-regarded engineering school and graduates approximately 125 architectural engineering majors each year. Penn State grads are highly recruited, and the university hosts an annual engineering career fair that draws employers from all over the country.

Kansas State University

Kansas State has lower tuition than Penn State, but the curriculum is nearly as strong. KSU also has a smaller engineering school graduating about 45 AE students each year, so students may receive more personalized instruction.

University of Kansas

Kansas has not one, but two of the best AE programs in the nation. The University of Kansas tends to be less selective than KSU, so it may appeal to students who do not get excellent grades in high school. Still, the engineering program is well-regarded and the students are highly sought-after.

Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo

Cal Poly has another great AE program. As a technical school, Cal Poly has substantial in-house knowledge and technology in a range of related engineering fields, including architecture and civil engineering. As a result, Cal Poly grads gain an understanding not only of the AE field but how AE relates to other fields.

Drexel University

As a private university, Drexel is one of the most expensive schools on the list. While not as highly regarded as its state neighbor Penn State, Drexel has established itself as a major player in the AE educational arena. Drexel is a more technically inclined school than Penn State, which may appeal to some incoming engineering students.

University of Texas-Austin

UT regularly ranks among the top architectural engineering schools. It offers bachelor's and master's degree programs, so student who wish to get their undergraduate and graduate education at the same school may wish to consider Texas.

Illinois Institute of Technology

Located in Chicago, the Illinois Institute of Technology is a prestigious technical school. The school has a small engineering program graduating only about seven students per year, but students wishing to get highly personalized instruction may find Illinois Tech the perfect fit.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

As with its Midwestern counterparts KSU and KU, the University of Nebraska is less expensive than many of the coastal schools. The university is moderately selective for its architectural engineering major.

University of Miami

The University of Miami is located in Coral Gables, Florida, outside of the city if Miami. Miami has a well-respected AE program. As another private university, however, it is one of the priciest schools listed.

Auburn University

Auburn has a solid AE program and tends to be less selective than many of the other schools on the list. The university typically graduates about 80 students in architectural engineering per year, so it a fairly large program.

References

• College Board: Major: Architectural Engineering
• Penn State University: Department of Architectural Engineering
• College Toolkit: Colleges Offering a Major in Architectural Engineering
• Campus Explorer: Top 10 Most Popular Architectural Engineering Colleges
• Cal Poly: Architectural Engineering Prospective Students

Resources

• College Toolkit: Colleges Offering a Major in Architectural Engineering