Best Architecture Schools Near North Charleston, SC (2026)

North Charleston, South Carolina is home to about 117,460 residents. Median household income is $62,789 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area, the top-earning architecture-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $174,040 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Architecture Schools to North Charleston

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer architecture programs near North Charleston, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from North Charleston 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 North Charleston. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

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#1

Clemson University

Clemson, SC 200.4 miles from North Charleston
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,513
Avg net price $22,253/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 136

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Architecture Wages Near North Charleston

North Charleston is part of the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area (BLS area code 16700). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to South Carolina statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval $102,880 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $101,861
Landscape Architects $99,330 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $98,347
Architectural and Engineering Managers $174,040 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $172,317
Architectural and Civil Drafters $68,460 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $67,782
Urban and Regional Planners $74,840 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $74,099
Construction Managers $107,610 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $106,545
Interior Designers $72,400 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $71,683
Civil Engineers $98,740 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $97,762

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.


North Charleston at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 117,460 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $62,789 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 28.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 101.0 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other North Charleston-Area Cities With Architecture Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying architecture roles near North Charleston?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying architecture-related roles near North Charleston are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($174,040), Construction Managers ($107,610), Architects, Except Landscape and Naval ($102,880). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with South Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Hanahan instead of North Charleston?

Hanahan, SC is 4.2 miles from North Charleston 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 North Charleston an affordable place to study architecture?

North Charleston’s median household income of $62,789 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in North Charleston while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and South 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 North Charleston

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

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 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.