2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts
650
Ranked Colleges
19,864
Degrees Awarded
$33,771
Avg Salary
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
In 2021-2022, 36,323 people earned their degree in design & applied arts, making the major the 36th most popular in the United States. In , design & applied arts graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $32,210 and had an average of $24,297 in loans still to pay off.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 19,864 design & applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,724 and $23,030 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major” ranking, we looked at 650 colleges that offer a degree in design & applied arts. That schools that top this list have a program in design & applied arts in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Design & Applied Arts Schools
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major”.
Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts
Out of the 650 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwest College of Art & Design landed the #1 spot on the list. NCAD is a small school located in Tacoma, Washington that handed out 19 bachelors’s design degrees in 2021-2022.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at NCAD
Out of the 650 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Design Institute of San Diego landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in San Diego, California, this small private for-profit school handed out 26 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Design Institute of San Diego
Out of the 650 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Nossi College of Art landed the #3 spot on the list. Nossi College of Art is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 39 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Nossi College of Art
Out of the 650 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Pennsylvania College of Art and Design landed the #4 spot on the list. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design is a small school located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania that handed out 30 bachelors’s design degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend American Academy of Art. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major list. The Academy is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Full American Academy of Art Design & Applied Arts Report
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design ranked #6 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major list. Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 124 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full MIAD Design & Applied Arts Report
With a ranking of #7, College for Creative Studies did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major list. Detroit, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 86 students in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full CCS Design & Applied Arts Report
Laguna College of Art and Design came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major ranking. Laguna College of Art and Design is located in Laguna Beach, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 84 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Laguna College of Art and Design
With a ranking of #9, Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major list. Located in Lakewood, Colorado, this small private for-profit school handed out 122 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design
Columbus College of Art and Design came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major ranking. CCAD is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 123 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at CCAD
Art Academy of Cincinnati landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major ranking. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 25 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Art Academy of Cincinnati
Otis College of Art and Design ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major list. This small school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 123 bachelors’s design degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Otis College of Art and Design
Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major ranking. Located in San Juan, Puerto Rico, this small public school awarded 19 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2021-2022.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico Design & Applied Arts Report
Cleveland Institute of Art did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major ranking, coming in at #14. CIA is located in Cleveland, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 65 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at CIA
Moore College of Art and Design landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major ranking. Moore College is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 48 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Moore College of Art and Design
The North Coast College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major ranking. The North Coast College is a private for-profit institution located in Lakewood, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full The North Coast College Design & Applied Arts Report
Art Center College of Design came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major ranking. Art Center College of Design is located in Pasadena, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 228 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full Art Center College of Design Design & Applied Arts Report
With a ranking of #18, Massachusetts College of Art and Design did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major list. Massachusetts College of Art and Design is a small public school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 110 bachelors’s design degrees in 2021-2022.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Massachusetts College of Art and Design Design & Applied Arts Report
Minneapolis College of Art and Design ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major list. MCAD is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 54 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full MCAD Design & Applied Arts Report
Ringling College of Art and Design landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major ranking. Ringling College is located in Sarasota, Florida and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 118 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Ringling College
The Art Institute of Austin ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major list. This small school is located in Bastrop, Texas, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s design degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Ai Austin
With a ranking of #22, Montserrat College of Art did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major list. Montserrat College of Art is a private not-for-profit institution located in Beverly, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 31 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Montserrat College of Art
AI Miami International University of Art and Design landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major ranking. International Fine Arts College is a private for-profit institution located in Miami, Florida. The school has a small population, and it awarded 58 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at AI Miami International University of Art and Design
With a ranking of #24, Kansas City Art Institute did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major list. Kansas City Art Institute is located in Kansas City, Missouri and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 41 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Kansas City Art Institute
The Art Institute of Dallas landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major ranking. This small school is located in Dallas, Texas, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s design degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at The Art Institute of Dallas