2023 Most Popular Colleges for Design & Applied Arts
1,086
Ranked Colleges
36,301
Degrees Awarded
$37,900
Avg Cost*
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended Design Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Design & Applied Arts is the 36th most popular major in the country with 36,301 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, design and applied arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,426 and had an average of $25,481 in loans still to pay off.
This year’s “Most Well Attended Design Major” ranking analyzed 1,086 colleges that offered a degree in design and applied arts. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in design and applied arts.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
More Ways to Rank Design & Applied Arts Schools
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 “Most Well Attended Design Major” list to help you make the college decision.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Most Well Attended Design Major
The colleges and universities below are the best for design students.
Top 25 Most Popular Colleges for Design & Applied Arts
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Fashion Institute of Technology. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major list. Located in New York, New York, this medium-sized public school handed out 1,400 degrees to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Fashion Institute of Technology Design & Applied Arts Report
Out of the 1,086 schools in the Most Well Attended Design Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Savannah College of Art and Design landed the #2 spot on the list. SCAD is located in Savannah, Georgia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,069 ’s design degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at SCAD
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pratt Institute - Main. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major list. Pratt Institute - Main is a medium-sized school located in Brooklyn, New York that handed out 618 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
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 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Pratt Institute
Out of the 1,086 schools in the Most Well Attended Design Major that were part of this year’s ranking, The New School landed the #4 spot on the list. The New School is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 544 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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 The New School
Out of the 1,086 schools in the Most Well Attended Design Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Full Sail University landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Winter Park, Florida, this large private for-profit school awarded 458 degrees to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.
Full Full Sail University Design & Applied Arts Report
Southern New Hampshire University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major ranking, coming in at #6. This large school is located in Manchester, New Hampshire, and it awarded 388 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at SNHU
Maryland Institute College of Art did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Baltimore, Maryland, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 334 diplomas to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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%. 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.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at MICA
Virginia Commonwealth University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major ranking. VCU is located in Richmond, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 315 ’s design degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full VCU Design & Applied Arts Report
With a ranking of #9, FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major list. FIDM Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 288 ’s design degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at FIDM Los Angeles
With a ranking of #10, Utah Valley University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major list. This large school is located in Orem, Utah, and it awarded 287 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full UVU Design & Applied Arts Report
Art Center College of Design did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major ranking, coming in at #11. Art Center College of Design is located in Pasadena, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 276 ’s design degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Art Center College of Design
Columbia College Chicago ranked #12 on this year’s Most Well Attended Design Major list. Columbia College Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 271 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Columbia
University of Cincinnati - Main Campus came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Design Major ranking. This large school is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it awarded 253 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at UC
Iowa State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Design Major ranking. Iowa State is a public institution located in Ames, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 252 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Iowa State University
With a ranking of #15, Kent State University at Kent did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major list. Kent State is a large public school situated in Kent, Ohio. It awarded 238 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Kent State University at Kent
Liberty University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major ranking. Located in Lynchburg, Virginia, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 236 diplomas to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Liberty University
University of California - Davis came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Design Major ranking. This large school is located in Davis, California, and it awarded 228 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at UC Davis
School of Visual Arts landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major ranking. Located in New York, New York, this small private for-profit school awarded 220 degrees to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%. 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.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at School of Visual Arts
Drexel University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Design Major ranking. Drexel is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 205 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Drexel University Design & Applied Arts Report
With a ranking of #20, San Francisco State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major list. San Francisco State University is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 202 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 San Francisco State University Design & Applied Arts Report
San Jose State University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major ranking. San Jose State is a public institution located in San Jose, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 201 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at San Jose State
With a ranking of #22, Massachusetts College of Art and Design did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major list. This small school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 214 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
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 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%.
Full Massachusetts College of Art and Design Design & Applied Arts Report
Arizona State University - Tempe landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major ranking. ASU - Tempe is located in Tempe, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 192 ’s design degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at ASU - Tempe
New York City College of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major ranking, coming in at #24. New York City College of Technology is a fairly large public school situated in Brooklyn, New York. It awarded 178 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at New York City College of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology ranked #25 on this year’s Most Well Attended Design Major list. Rochester Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rochester, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 171 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at RIT
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