Best Architecture Schools Near Clayton, NC (2026)

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

Clayton, North Carolina has 1 accredited school offering architecture programs. Clayton has a population of about 28,043. Median household income is $73,348 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area, the top-earning architecture-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $169,780 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Architecture Schools to Clayton

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

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh, NC 15.4 miles from Clayton
  • 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

#2

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, NC 130.8 miles from Clayton
  • 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

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

Architecture Wages Near Clayton

Clayton is part of the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area (BLS area code 39580). 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 $91,570 Raleigh-Cary, NC $93,248
Landscape Architects $83,420 Raleigh-Cary, NC $84,949
Architectural and Engineering Managers $169,780 Raleigh-Cary, NC $172,892
Architectural and Civil Drafters $65,840 Raleigh-Cary, NC $67,047
Urban and Regional Planners $84,810 Raleigh-Cary, NC $86,365
Construction Managers $119,700 Raleigh-Cary, NC $121,894
Interior Designers $64,480 Raleigh-Cary, NC $65,662
Civil Engineers $101,440 Raleigh-Cary, NC $103,299

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.

Clayton at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 28,043 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $73,348 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 35.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 98.2 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Clayton-Area Cities With Architecture Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited architecture schools are near Clayton, NC?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering architecture programs near Clayton. The closest is North Carolina State University at Raleigh in Raleigh, NC (15.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is North Carolina State University at Raleigh (15.4 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying architecture roles near Clayton?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying architecture-related roles near Clayton are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($169,780), Construction Managers ($119,700), Civil Engineers ($101,440). 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 Garner instead of Clayton?

Garner, NC is 10.0 miles from Clayton 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 Clayton an affordable place to study architecture?

Clayton’s median household income of $73,348 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Clayton 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 Clayton

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

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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