MA in Architecture Cost

How Much Does an MA in Architecture Cost?

Medium: MAs Average $13,800 a year at Public Universities; $36,300 at Private Universities.

Architects blend art and science to create environments for people. Students with a bachelor's degree in pre-architecture can earn a MA (often called a MArch) in a two-year program; those with a non-architecture bachelor's degree earn a MArch in three to four years.

Typical costs:

Tuition and fees for a master's degree program average $6,900 a semester at public universities and $18,150 a semester at private universities, according to the National Center for Education Services. A two-year master's degree program would run $27,600 -$72,580; a three-year program would be $41,300 -$108,900; and four years would total $55,200 -$145,200.
Actual costs vary widely between schools. Tuition and fees at MIT (which only accepts 30 students a year into its MArch program) are $35,000 for a nine-month academic year, while tuition and fees for a similar period in the MArch program at the University of Minnesota cost $10,400 for state residents and $17,500 for nonresidents.

What should be included:

To become an architect, an accredited degree is required along with participation in an approved internship program and passing a professional licensing exam. ArchCareers.org offers a comprehensive guide to careers in architecture, including how to become and architect and the specific education needed.

Additional costs:

The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture publishes A Guide to Architecture Schools in North America for $24.95. ArchCareers.org recommends a list of books about careers in architecture at $16 -$85 each.
Books and supplies are usually estimated on a school's website, and typically run $1,000 -$1,500 a year.
Health insurance is included in the tuition cost for some schools, but can be an additional $800 -$1,900 a year.
Living expenses vary by location, so check individual school websites for estimated local costs. Cornell University estimates graduate student living expenses at $11,680 per academic year and on-campus room and board at San Francisco Academy of Art costs $6,800 -$11,000 for nine months of on-campus housing.
Admission to an MArch program is usually highly competitive, and applicants must take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) at a cost of $140. The Princeton Review provides basic information about MArch programs.

Discounts:

The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) publishes a list of architecture scholarships.
Several programs offer assistantships, which provide a stipend and possibly tuition discounts in exchange for teaching, research or other duties. Check with a specific school for up-to-date details about what sort of financial help is available for graduate students.

Shopping for an ma in architecture:

More than 110 schools offer architecture programs accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) and another three schools are candidates for accreditation; search the NAAB database for accredited architecture schools by state and/or type of degree offered.
The American Institute of Architecture Students lists basic questions to ask about a MArch degree program.

Article updated July 2008