Best Architecture Schools Near Waterloo, IA (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Waterloo, Iowa is home to about 66,947 residents. Median household income is $56,344 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area, the top-earning architecture-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $140,340 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Architecture Schools to Waterloo

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer architecture programs near Waterloo, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Waterloo city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

No school data available.

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Iowa schools on the Iowa architecture page.

Architecture Wages Near Waterloo

Waterloo is part of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area (BLS area code 47940). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Iowa statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval $93,620 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $107,486
Landscape Architects $87,270 IA statewide $100,195
Architectural and Engineering Managers $140,340 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $161,125
Architectural and Civil Drafters $64,220 IA statewide $73,731
Urban and Regional Planners $79,100 IA statewide $90,815
Construction Managers $92,100 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $105,741
Interior Designers $59,470 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $68,278
Civil Engineers $97,430 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $111,860

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Waterloo at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 66,947 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $56,344 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 22.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 87.1 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Waterloo-Area Cities With Architecture Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying architecture roles near Waterloo?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying architecture-related roles near Waterloo are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($140,340), Civil Engineers ($97,430), Architects, Except Landscape and Naval ($93,620). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Iowa statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Cedar Falls instead of Waterloo?

Cedar Falls, IA is 5.5 miles from Waterloo and has its own set of local architecture programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Waterloo an affordable place to study architecture?

Waterloo’s median household income of $56,344 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Waterloo while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Iowa public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Architecture Programs

Other Programs Available in Waterloo

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Waterloo:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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