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2026 Best Value Architectural Engineering Schools in the Far Western Region

[Architectural Engineering](/majors/engineering/architectural-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for architectural engineering students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Architectural Engineering Schools in the Far Western Region

2026 Best Value Architectural Engineering Schools in the Far Western Region

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the architectural engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Architectural Engineering Schools

1

California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA

$12,161 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,116 Avg Student Debt

$90,768 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, our #1 best value for architectural engineering in the Far Western Region. Located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,161, with out-of-state students paying around $33,230. Architectural Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,116 in student loans. Early-career architectural engineering graduates make about $80,481. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 31% of applicants are accepted.

2

Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR

$14,400 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,043 Avg Student Debt

$64,010 Median Earnings (10yr)

Oregon State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in architectural engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Oregon State University is a very large public school located in the city of Corvallis. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,400, compared with $38,190 for out-of-state students. Architectural Engineering graduates carry a median of $24,043 in student loans. Architectural Engineering graduates of Oregon State University earn a median of $51,000 early in their careers. Set against $24,043 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Oregon State University admits about 77% of applicants.

View All Architectural Engineering Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 2 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.