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2025 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Iowa

6 Colleges in Iowa
496 Design Degrees Awarded
$32,983 Avg Early-Career Salary
Ranked #36 in popularity, design & applied arts is one of the most sought-after degree programs in the nation. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

College Factual reviewed 6 schools in Iowa to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of design & applied arts. Combined, these schools handed out 496 degrees in design & applied arts to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Design & Applied Arts School

Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Iowa Your choice of design & applied arts school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. For our Best Overall Design & Applied Arts School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Design & Applied Arts Rankings by Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Design
Bachelor's Degrees in Design
Master's Degrees in Design

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Iowa ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.

Best Schools for Design & Applied Arts in Iowa

The schools below may not offer all types of design degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer.

Top Iowa Schools in Design

1
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
247 Design Degrees Awarded
$37,528 Median Starting Salary

Iowa State University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in design & applied arts. Iowa State is a fairly large public university located in the city of Ames. A Best Colleges rank of #88 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Iowa State is a great university overall.

There were about 247 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Iowa State in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the design & applied arts program at Iowa State University make $4,545 above the average graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Iowa State University

2
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
38 Design Degrees Awarded
$38,637 Median Starting Salary

University of Northern Iowa is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in design & applied arts. UNI is a moderately-sized public university located in the city of Cedar Falls. A Best Colleges rank of #270 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UNI is a great university overall.

There were approximately 38 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at UNI in the most recent year we have data available. Those design & applied arts students who get their degree from University of Northern Iowa earn $5,654 more than the average design grad.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from University of Northern Iowa

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BA in Graphic Design & Media Arts Program Name

Translate your creative ideas through concept, design and digital media with a bachelor's in graphic design online from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BA in Graphic Design & Media Arts from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

3
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
73 Design Degrees Awarded
$25,265 Median Starting Salary

Any student who is interested in design & applied arts has to take a look at Des Moines Area Community College. DMACC is a very large public college located in the suburb of Ankeny. A Best Colleges rank of #408 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means DMACC is a great college overall.

There were approximately 73 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at DMACC in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the design program make around $25,265 for their early career.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Des Moines Area Community College

4
Luther crest
Luther College
Decorah, IA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
8th Most Popular In IA
35.3% Growth in Graduates

Every student pursuing a degree in design & applied arts has to take a look at Luther College. Located in the town of Decorah, Luther is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. This college ranks 9th out of 37 colleges for overall quality in the state of Iowa.

There were roughly 17 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Luther in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Luther College

5
Kirkwood Community College crest
Kirkwood Community College
Cedar Rapids, IA
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
$32,116 Median Starting Salary

Kirkwood Community College is a fairly large public college located in the midsize city of Cedar Rapids. This college ranks 16th out of 37 schools for overall quality in the state of Iowa.

There were roughly 19 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Kirkwood Community College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduating, design degree recipients usually earn about $32,116 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Kirkwood Community College

6
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$31,122 Median Starting Salary

UIU is a small private not-for-profit university located in the rural area of Fayette. This university ranks 28th out of 37 schools for overall quality in the state of Iowa.

There were approximately 8 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at UIU in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the design program report average early career wages of $31,122.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Upper Iowa University

Best Design & Applied Arts Colleges in the Plains States Region

Explore all the Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Minnesota 284 533
Missouri 283 430
Kansas 266 228
Nebraska 238 223
North Dakota 210 36
South Dakota 204 57

View All Rankings >

One of 10 majors within the Visual & Performing Arts area of study, Design & Applied Arts has other similar majors worth exploring.

Design Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Graphic Design 140
Interior Design 93
Commercial & Advertising Art 84
Visual Communications 68
Industrial Design 67
Commercial Photography 37
Game & Interactive Media Design 7

View All Design Concentrations >

Majors Similar to Design

Related Major Annual Graduates
Fine & Studio Arts 262
Music 235
Drama & Theater Arts 146
Film, Video & Photographic Arts 81
General Visual & Performing Arts 27
Dance 20
Other Visual Art 11
Arts & Media Management 4

View All Design Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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