The cost of studying architecture extends far beyond tuition.
There are studio materials, model-making supplies, printing, software, computers, housing, transportation, and the everyday cost of being a student. There is also the time spent in studio, the challenge of balancing coursework with a paid job, and the personal impact of an educational culture that can ask students to put architecture ahead of almost everything else.
AIAS wants to better understand that full experience, and we need your voices to do it.
Share Your Experience
The AIAS Cost of Architecture Education Survey invites prospective and current students to tell us how the financial, personal, and professional demands of architecture education affect their lives and decisions.
The survey is open to:
- High school students considering architecture or a related field
- Community college and pathway-program students
- Undergraduate and graduate students
- Students in architecture and related programs
- International students studying in the United States or in their home countries
Whether you are still deciding where to study, currently working your way through a degree, or reconsidering your original plans because of cost, your perspective matters.
Looking Beyond Tuition
Tuition is only one part of what students are asked to invest in an architecture education. The survey asks about expenses such as housing, food, transportation, studio materials, printing, software, and computer equipment. It also explores financial aid, potential or current borrowing, paid employment, commuting, and costs associated with mental health and well-being.
But numbers alone cannot tell the entire story.
We also want to understand how costs and architecture school culture influence students’ choices. Have financial pressures affected the number of courses you take, your graduation timeline, or your ability to attend conferences and professional opportunities? Have studio expectations affected your health, employment, involvement in student organizations, or interest in pursuing licensure?
For prospective students, the questions focus on anticipated costs and the factors shaping college and career decisions. You do not need to know exactly what your education will cost to participate. Estimates and what you currently understand about your options are valuable.
Turning Student Experiences Into Advocacy
AIAS will use the findings to support research, reporting, and advocacy for more affordable and accessible pathways into architecture and related professions. High-level findings may also be shared with partner organizations and members of the broader architecture community.
The survey will help us identify where students need greater transparency and support, from selecting a college and understanding degree pathways to paying for technology, securing internships, and navigating the cost of licensure after graduation.
Most importantly, it will help us ground those conversations in the experiences of the students making these decisions today.
Take the Survey
The survey takes approximately 8–12 minutes to complete. Most financial questions are optional, estimates are welcome, and responses are anonymous by default. Students who are interested in a follow-up conversation may voluntarily provide their contact information at the end.
Architecture education should not be discussed only in terms of what students gain. We must also understand what they are being asked to spend, borrow, sacrifice, and balance along the way.
Share your experience and help AIAS advocate for a more accessible future for architecture education.
Take the Survey Today
Please share this survey with classmates, prospective architecture students, and others whose experiences should be represented.
