Best Architecture Schools Near Rochester, NY (2026)

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

Rochester, New York has 3 accredited schools offering architecture programs, with tuition ranging from $8,892 to $68,699 per year for indexed programs. Rochester has a population of about 209,720. Median household income is $46,628 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Rochester, NY metro area, the top-earning architecture-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $166,550 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Architecture Schools to Rochester

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

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Rochester. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

University at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY 60.3 miles from Rochester
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
75.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 74%
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $70,814
Avg net price $20,995/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,936
Out‑of‑state$31,536
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 193

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY 63.7 miles from Rochester
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
70.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 76%
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,445
Avg net price $15,016/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,892
Out‑of‑state$16,837
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Ithaca College

Ithaca, NY 76.8 miles from Rochester
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
67.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 69%
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,548
Avg net price $33,926/yr
Tuition
In‑state$53,540
Out‑of‑state$53,540
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY 201.5 miles from Rochester
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $102,051
Avg net price $36,228/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Barnard College

New York, NY 248.4 miles from Rochester
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
70.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 9%
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,516
Avg net price $28,800/yr
Tuition
In‑state$69,888
Out‑of‑state$69,888
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY 248.6 miles from Rochester
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
87.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $102,491
Avg net price $21,590/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 180

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

New York, NY 251.2 miles from Rochester
  • 4 year
80.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $83,847
Avg net price $13,269/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Architecture Wages Near Rochester

Rochester is part of the Rochester, NY metro area (BLS area code 40380). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New York statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval $95,480 Rochester, NY $98,433
Landscape Architects $77,610 Rochester, NY $80,010
Architectural and Engineering Managers $166,550 Rochester, NY $171,701
Architectural and Civil Drafters $64,770 Rochester, NY $66,773
Urban and Regional Planners $92,550 Rochester, NY $95,412
Construction Managers $134,940 Rochester, NY $139,113
Interior Designers $58,130 Rochester, NY $59,928
Civil Engineers $99,460 Rochester, NY $102,536

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.

Rochester at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 209,720 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $46,628 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 29.9% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 97.0 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Rochester-Area Cities With Architecture Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited architecture schools are near Rochester, NY?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering architecture programs near Rochester. The closest is University at Buffalo in Buffalo, NY (60.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Ithaca College (76.8 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying architecture roles near Rochester?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying architecture-related roles near Rochester are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($166,550), Construction Managers ($134,940), Civil Engineers ($99,460). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New York statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Brockport instead of Rochester?

Brockport, NY is 16.6 miles from Rochester 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 Rochester an affordable place to study architecture?

Rochester’s median household income of $46,628 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Rochester while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New York 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 Rochester

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

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.

Back to Best Architecture Schools in New York: Online Programs (2026)