Should I choose USC, UIUC, or Syracuse University for my undergraduate study of architecture?

Question

Accepted Answer

The University of Southern California (USC) is a private university located in Los Angeles, California. The University of Illinois at Urbana &ndash; Champaign (UIUC) is a public university located in the twin cities of Urbana and Champaign. The QS World University Rankings by subject 2020 &ndash; Architecture/Build Environment is given below &ndash;


	University of Southern California (USC) - #51 - 100
	University of Illinois at Urbana &ndash; Champaign (UIUC) - #50
	Syracuse University - #101 &ndash; 150


The rankings tell you one thing and the experience of the students another. The reputation and the number of graduates from the USC School of Architecture and Syracuse University School of Architecture are far more than the graduates from the Illinois School of Architecture &ndash; UIUC.

All these programs are quite close in terms of rankings as well. So academically you cannot go wrong with any of these three schools. Yet USC and Syracuse University still hold a little edge.

Your choice should also depend upon the area you want to settle down after graduating. USC is located on the west coast, UIUC in the midwest and Syracuse University on the east coast. If you want to work in New York, choose Syracuse University. If you want to work in California or Los Angeles, choose USC. It is not that they are not known nationally, but most of the hiring managers, some of whom may be alumni, are located in companies closer to the university itself, thus a better chance of getting employed in that region.

Also some may prefer the quiet regions of upstate New York or Illinois while some may marvel at the architectural designs in and around the city of Los Angeles. This is strictly a personal choice. Also factor in the huge and ever growing alumni network of USC, which makes it a compelling choice.

If you combine all these factors, then University of Southern California (USC) emerges as a clear winner among the three for studying architecture.

Expense Type	Average Cost (INR)	Equivalent (USD)
Housing and Food	₹ 5.32 Lakhs	USD 5918
Total Cost	₹ 5.32 Lakhs	USD 5918

Academic Year	Tuition Fees (INR)	Tuition Fees (USD)
2024	₹ 29.08 Lakhs	USD 32340
2023	₹ 26.11 Lakhs	USD 29034

University	Program	First Year Fees in USD	First Year Fees in INR
University of Illinois	MS Technology Management	USD 47,452 /Yr	INR 42.7 L/Yr
University of Wisconsin	M.B.A Business - Arts Administration	USD 53,010 /Yr	INR 47.7 L/Yr

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Housing and Food	$5918
Total Cost	$5918

	University of Illinois (E.M.B.A )	University of Chicago (E.M.B.A )	University of Michigan (E.M.B.A )	Ohio State University ( )	Purdue University - Northwest (E.M.B.A )
ranking	# 55 sQv06Y Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 99 sQv06Y Business by QS World University 2025	# 9 sQv06Y Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 17 sQv06Y Business by QS World University 2025	# 13 sQv06Y Business by US News 2025 # 21 sQv06Y Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 29 sQv06Y Business by QS World University 2025	-	# 1200 sQv06Y Business by Times Higher Education 2022
cost to study	Mr9UejUSD 27323	Mr9UejUSD 74919	Mr9UejUSD 69400	-	Mr9UejUSD 19350
application dates	Sep 7, 2023 (Application Deadline)	Sep 21, 2024 (Application Deadline For 2025 Intake 1) Jan 4, 2025 (Application Deadline For 2025 Intake 2) Apr 4, 2025 (Application Deadline For 2025 Intake 3)	Jan 15, 2024 (Application Deadline For Fall Intake)	-	Oct 1, 2025 (Application Deadline For Spring 2026 Intake) Apr 15, 2026 (Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake)
sjq1dk	GMAT - 660/800	-	-	-	Duolingo - 115/160 GMAT - 500/800 IELTS - 6.5/9 TOEFL - 80/120
	-	c7Pdds	c7Pdds	c7Pdds	c7Pdds

E.M.B.A from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Executive Master of Business Administration [E.M.B.A]

UI Urbana E.M.B.A Total Fees 2025

E.M.B.A Tuition Fee Trends at UI Urbana

E.M.B.A at UI Urbana Admission 2025

UI Urbana E.M.B.A Application Link

E.M.B.A Fee Comparison

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