Best Architecture Schools Near Asheville, NC (2026)

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

Asheville, North Carolina has 2 accredited schools offering architecture programs. Asheville has a population of about 94,369. Median household income is $67,221 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 52.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Asheville, NC metro area, the top-earning architecture-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $160,140 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Architecture Schools to Asheville

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer architecture programs near Asheville, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Asheville 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 Asheville. 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 of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, NC 104.2 miles from Asheville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,289
Avg net price $15,435/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 122

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh, NC 218.2 miles from Asheville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
84.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,758
Avg net price $17,303/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 152

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Architecture Wages Near Asheville

Asheville is part of the Asheville, NC metro area (BLS area code 11700). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval $103,100 Asheville, NC $106,839
Landscape Architects $81,260 Asheville, NC $84,207
Architectural and Engineering Managers $160,140 Asheville, NC $165,948
Architectural and Civil Drafters $59,560 Asheville, NC $61,720
Urban and Regional Planners $77,950 Asheville, NC $80,777
Construction Managers $105,040 Asheville, NC $108,850
Interior Designers $60,160 Asheville, NC $62,342
Civil Engineers $100,170 Asheville, NC $103,803

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.

Asheville at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 94,369 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $67,221 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 52.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 96.5 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Asheville-Area Cities With Architecture Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited architecture schools are near Asheville, NC?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering architecture programs near Asheville. The closest is Clemson University in Clemson, SC (63.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (81.3 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying architecture roles near Asheville?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying architecture-related roles near Asheville are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($160,140), Construction Managers ($105,040), Architects, Except Landscape and Naval ($103,100). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with North Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Forest City instead of Asheville?

Forest City, NC is 41.8 miles from Asheville 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 Asheville an affordable place to study architecture?

Asheville’s median household income of $67,221 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Asheville while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 Asheville

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

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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