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2025 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Pennsylvania

20 Colleges in Pennsylvania
1,171 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 looked at 20 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 1,171 degrees in design & applied arts to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Design & Applied Arts School

Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Pennsylvania The design program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Design & Applied Arts rankings. 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.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Pick Your Design & Applied Arts Degree Level

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

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Pennsylvania list, to help you choose the best school for you. 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 Pennsylvania

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.

10 Top Pennsylvania Schools in Design

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
46 Design Degrees Awarded
$82,010 Median Starting Salary

Carnegie Mellon University is a wonderful choice for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts. Located in the large city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #8 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Carnegie Mellon is a great university overall.

There were roughly 46 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Carnegie Mellon in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the design & applied arts program at Carnegie Mellon University make $49,027 more than the typical college grad in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Carnegie Mellon University

2
Drexel crest
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
178 Design Degrees Awarded
$38,154 Median Starting Salary

Every student who is interested in design & applied arts needs to look into Drexel University. Located in the city of Philadelphia, Drexel is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #115 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Drexel is a great university overall.

There were about 178 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Drexel in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the design & applied arts program at Drexel University earn $5,171 above the average graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

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

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
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
36th Most Popular In PA
60.0% Growth in Graduates

University of Pennsylvania is a wonderful choice for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts. Located in the city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #2 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UPenn is a great university overall.

There were about 15 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at UPenn in the most recent year we have data available.

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

4
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
65 Design Degrees Awarded
$36,433 Median Starting Salary

Thomas Jefferson University is a great choice for students interested in a degree in design & applied arts. Located in the large city of Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson University is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #89 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Thomas Jefferson University is a great university overall.

There were about 65 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Thomas Jefferson University in the most recent year we have data available. Those design & applied arts students who get their degree from Thomas Jefferson University make $3,450 more than the standard design graduate.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Thomas Jefferson University

5
Temple crest
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
60 Design Degrees Awarded
$43,530 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Philadelphia, Temple is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #97 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Temple is a great university overall.

There were roughly 60 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Temple in the most recent year we have data available. Those design & applied arts students who get their degree from Temple University receive $10,547 more than the average design student.

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

6
UArts crest
The University of the Arts
Philadelphia, PA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
59 Design Degrees Awarded
$21,765 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Philadelphia, UArts is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.

There were approximately 59 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at UArts in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the design program state that they receive average early career earnings of $21,765.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from The University of the Arts

7
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
58 Design Degrees Awarded
$40,286 Median Starting Salary

Kutztown University is a medium-sized public university located in the town of Kutztown. This university ranks 36th out of 103 colleges for overall quality in the state of Pennsylvania.

There were approximately 58 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Kutztown University in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the design & applied arts major at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania make $7,303 above the standard graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Sponsored
Associates Degree Type
AA in Digital Photography Program Name

Take the first step toward a career of visual expression and doing what you love with this online associate degree from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in AA in Digital Photography from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

8
Graduate Certificate Highest Degree Type
$28,267 Median Starting Salary

Mercyhurst is a small private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Erie. This university ranks 76th out of 103 schools for overall quality in the state of Pennsylvania.

There were roughly 24 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Mercyhurst in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the design program make around $28,267 in their early career salary.

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

9
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
48 Design Degrees Awarded
4.2% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Philadelphia, Moore College is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

There were roughly 48 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Moore College in the most recent year we have data available. After graduating, design degree recipients usually earn around $20,587 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Moore College of Art and Design

10
Marywood crest
Marywood University
Scranton, PA

Located in the city of Scranton, Marywood is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. This university ranks 69th out of 103 colleges for overall quality in the state of Pennsylvania.

There were roughly 18 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Marywood in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the design program report average early career earnings of $25,727.

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

Best Design & Applied Arts Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region

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

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
New York 333 4,391
Maryland 279 617
New Jersey 273 532
District of Columbia 188 83
Delaware 175 59

View All Rankings >

Design & Applied Arts is one of 10 different types of Visual & Performing Arts programs to choose from.

Design Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Graphic Design 397
Commercial & Advertising Art 142
Visual Communications 137
Fashion Design 113
Other Design & Applied Arts 87
Interior Design 86
Illustration 81
Industrial Design 68
Game & Interactive Media Design 51
Commercial Photography 9

View All Design Focus Areas >

Majors Similar to Design

Related Major Annual Graduates
Fine & Studio Arts 1,141
Music 967
Drama & Theater Arts 742
Film, Video & Photographic Arts 590
Dance 272
Arts & Media Management 241
General Visual & Performing Arts 183
Crafts, Folk Art & Artisanry 8
Other Visual Art 1

View All Design Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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