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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts in Pennsylvania

43 Ranked Colleges
914 Degrees Awarded
$34,870 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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.

Across Pennsylvania, there were 1,171 design & applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,512 and $27,898 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 914 design & applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,302 and $25,698 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania” ranking analyzed 43 colleges that offered a degree in design & applied arts. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their design & applied arts program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania” list to help you make the college 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 in Pennsylvania

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania”.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts in Pennsylvania

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pennsylvania College of Art and Design. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania list. This small school is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 30 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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design

2
Moore College crest
Moore College of Art and Design
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Moore College of Art and Design. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania list. This small school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s design degrees in 2021-2022.

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 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

3
PAFA crest
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania. PAFA is a private not-for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees 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 4 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 Academy of the Fine Arts

4
UArts crest
The University of the Arts
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of the Arts. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania. This small school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s design degrees in 2021-2022.

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 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at UArts

5
Albright crest
Albright College
Reading, Pennsylvania

Out of the 43 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania that were part of this year’s ranking, Albright College landed the #5 spot on the list. This small school is located in Reading, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s design 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%.

Full Albright Design & Applied Arts Report

6

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania ranking. Located in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized public school handed out 57 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%.

Full Kutztown University Design & Applied Arts Report

7
La Roche crest
La Roche University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

La Roche University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania ranking, coming in at #7. La Roche University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It awarded 9 bachelors’s design degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 La Roche Design & Applied Arts Report

8
Mercyhurst crest
Mercyhurst University
Erie, Pennsylvania

Mercyhurst University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania ranking, coming in at #8. This small school is located in Erie, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s design degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 Mercyhurst University Design & Applied Arts Report

9
Drexel crest
Drexel University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Drexel University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania ranking. Drexel is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 169 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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%.

Full Drexel University Design & Applied Arts Report

10
Thomas Jefferson University crest
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Thomas Jefferson University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania ranking. Thomas Jefferson University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 57 bachelors’s design degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Thomas Jefferson University Design & Applied Arts Report

11
RMU crest
Robert Morris University
Moon Township, Pennsylvania

Robert Morris University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania ranking, coming in at #11. Moon Township, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 16 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Robert Morris University

12

With a ranking of #12, Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania list. Indiana, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 48 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus Design & Applied Arts Report

13

With a ranking of #13, York College of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania list. This small school is located in York, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s design degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full York College of Pennsylvania Design & Applied Arts Report

14
Cabrini University crest
Cabrini University
Radnor, Pennsylvania

Cabrini University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania ranking. Cabrini University is located in Radnor, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Cabrini University

15

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania ranking, coming in at #15. This small school is located in Cheyney, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s design degrees in 2021-2022.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

16
Penn College crest
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania College of Technology landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania ranking. Penn College is located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Penn College

17
18
Susquehanna crest
Susquehanna University
Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania

Susquehanna University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania ranking. This small school is located in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s design degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Susquehanna

19
Marywood crest
Marywood University
Scranton, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #19, Marywood University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania list. Located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Marywood University Design & Applied Arts Report

20

With a ranking of #20, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania list. Harrisburg University of Science and Technology is a small school located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania that handed out 20 bachelors’s design degrees in 2021-2022.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology

21
Millersville crest
Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Millersville, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #21, Millersville University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania list. This medium-sized school is located in Millersville, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s design degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Millersville

22
Seton Hill crest
Seton Hill University
Greensburg, Pennsylvania

Seton Hill University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania ranking. Seton Hill University is located in Greensburg, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Seton Hill University Design & Applied Arts Report

23
Lehigh crest
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Lehigh University ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania list. Lehigh is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Lehigh University Design & Applied Arts Report

24
Cairn crest
Cairn University
Langhorne, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #24, Cairn University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania list. Langhorne, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 4 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Cairn

25
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in Pennsylvania ranking. Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 31 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Carnegie Mellon

Notes and References

References

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