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
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Featured Design & Applied Arts Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
AA in Digital Photography
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.
Learn More
BA in Digital Photography
Learn to create a striking portfolio and hone the skills you need to succeed in the world of professional photography with this online digital photography degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
Learn More
Choosing a Great Design & Applied Arts School
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
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.
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Featured Design & Applied Arts Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
AA in Digital Photography
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.
Learn More
BA in Digital Photography
Learn to create a striking portfolio and hone the skills you need to succeed in the world of professional photography with this online digital photography degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
Learn More
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
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
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
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 UniversityRelated Programs
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
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
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
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
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
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 UniversityRelated Programs
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
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
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