2021 Best Design & Applied Arts Colleges for Non-Traditional Students
160Colleges
19,864Bachelor's Degrees
$35,125Avg Cost*
Finding the Best Design & Applied Arts Schools for Non-Traditional Students
Design & Applied Arts is the #27th most popular major in the country with 19,864 bachelor's degrees awarded in <nil>.
For this year's Best Design & Applied Arts Colleges for Non-Traditional Students ranking, we looked at 160 colleges that offer a bachelor's in design. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality design & applied arts programs as well as strong support for students classified as non-traditional.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the design & applied arts program at the school, affordability, and presence of non-traditional students. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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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.
Translate your creative ideas through concept, design and digital media with a bachelor's in graphic design online from Southern New Hampshire University.
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 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.
As a non-traditional student, you have a lot to consider when it comes to choosing an education. That's why we've developed rankings specifically for you. Check out more major-related rankings here..
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.
Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
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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.
Translate your creative ideas through concept, design and digital media with a bachelor's in graphic design online from Southern New Hampshire University.
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 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.
Fashion Institute of Technology tops the 2021 list of our schools in the United States that are best for non-traditional design & applied arts students. FIT SUNY is a medium-sized public school located in the city of New York. FIT SUNY not only placed well in our non-traditional rankings. It is also #7 on our Best Colleges for Design & Applied Arts list.
The student loan default rate at FIT SUNY is lower than is typical, just 1.2% of students default in three years. There are approximately 2,847 students at FIT SUNY that take at least one class online. There are roughly 1,095 part time students in attendance at FIT SUNY.
The #2 spot in this year's ranking belongs to Drexel University. Drexel is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Drexel also is in the top 10% of our Best Colleges for Design & Applied Arts ranking.
The school has a low student loan default rate of 0.9%. There are approximately 6,249 students at Drexel that take at least one class online. There are roughly 5,829 part time students in attendance at Drexel.
The New School landed the #3 spot in our 2021 best design & applied arts schools for non-traditional students. Located in the city of New York, New School University is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population. New School University also claimed a spot on our Best Colleges for Design & Applied Arts list. It's in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
The student loan default rate at New School University is lower than is typical, just 2.1% of students default in three years. There are approximately 5,293 students at New School University that take at least one class online. 1,257 students are part time.
Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus earned the #4 spot in our 2021 rankings. Georgia Tech is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Atlanta. As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Georgia Tech also is in the top 5% of our Best Colleges for Design & Applied Arts ranking.
The student loan default rate at Georgia Tech is lower than is typical, just 0.4% of students default in three years. 19,058 students at Georgia Tech are exclusively online. There are roughly 21,273 part time students in attendance at Georgia Tech.
San Jose State University landed the #5 spot in our 2021 best design & applied arts schools for non-traditional students. Located in the large city of San Jose, San Jose State is a public college with a fairly large student population.
The school has a low student loan default rate of 0.9%. There are approximately 19,939 students at San Jose State that take at least one class online. 9,800 students are part time.
University of Cincinnati - Main Campus comes in at #6 in this year's ranking. UC is a very large public school located in the city of Cincinnati. UC also claimed a spot on our Best Colleges for Design & Applied Arts list. It's in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
The student loan default rate at UC is lower than is typical, just 1.7% of students default in three years. There are approximately 17,465 students at UC that take at least one class online. There are roughly 10,255 part time students in attendance at UC.
Wentworth Institute of Technology comes in at #7 in this year's ranking. WIT is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Boston. On top of its placing in our non-traditional rankings, WIT also did well on our Best Colleges for Design & Applied Arts list. It's in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis.
The student loan default rate at WIT is lower than is typical, just 0.9% of students default in three years. Approximately 737 students take at least one class online at WIT. 384 of WIT students are attending part time.
University of Florida earned the #8 spot in our 2021 rankings. Located in the medium-sized city of Gainesville, UF is a public college with a very large student population. On top of its placing in our non-traditional rankings, UF also did well on our Best Colleges for Design & Applied Arts list. It's in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis.
About 0.9% of UF students default on their loans in three years, which is lower than average. There are approximately 22,865 students at UF that take at least one class online. There are roughly 11,205 part time students in attendance at UF.
University of Wisconsin - Stout comes in at #9 in this year's ranking. UW - Stout is a moderately-sized public school located in the distant town of Menomonie.
The student loan default rate at UW - Stout is lower than is typical, just 0.9% of students default in three years. There are approximately 3,297 students at UW - Stout that take at least one class online. There are roughly 2,074 part time students in attendance at UW - Stout.
Florida State University earned the #10 spot in our 2021 rankings. Florida State is a very large public school located in the medium-sized city of Tallahassee. In addition to being on our bet for non-traditional students list, Florida State is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Colleges for Design & Applied Arts list.
The school has a low student loan default rate of 1.0%. There are approximately 20,172 students at Florida State that take at least one class online. There are roughly 8,311 part time students in attendance at Florida State.
Our rankings recognize North Carolina State University as the #11 school in this year's rankings. Located in the city of Raleigh, NC State is a public school with a very large student population. NC State excels when it comes to major quality. It's ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Colleges for Design & Applied Arts list.
The student loan default rate at NC State is lower than is typical, just 1.0% of students default in three years. Approximately 14,604 students take at least one class online at NC State. About 7,732 of the students at NC State are attending part time.
Auburn University earned the #12 spot in our 2021 rankings. Auburn is a fairly large public school located in the city of Auburn. Auburn excels when it comes to major quality. It's ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Colleges for Design & Applied Arts list.
About 0.5% of Auburn students default on their loans in three years, which is lower than average. There are approximately 11,718 students at Auburn that take at least one class online. About 5,257 of the students at Auburn are attending part time.
Syracuse University earned the #13 spot in our 2021 rankings. Located in the medium-sized city of Syracuse, Syracuse is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population. In addition to being on our bet for non-traditional students list, Syracuse is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Colleges for Design & Applied Arts list.
About 1.1% of Syracuse students default on their loans in three years, which is lower than average. Approximately 2,812 students take at least one class online at Syracuse. 3,491 students are part time.
Our rankings recognize Arizona State University - Tempe as the #14 school in this year's rankings. Located in the medium-sized city of Tempe, ASU - Tempe is a public college with a fairly large student population. ASU - Tempe excels when it comes to major quality. It's ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Colleges for Design & Applied Arts list.
About 1.5% of ASU - Tempe students default on their loans in three years, which is lower than average. There are approximately 37,856 students at ASU - Tempe that take at least one class online. About 8,480 of the students at ASU - Tempe are attending part time.
Virginia Tech comes in at #15 in this year's ranking. Virginia Tech is a fairly large public school located in the city of Blacksburg. Virginia Tech excels when it comes to major quality. It's ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Colleges for Design & Applied Arts list.
The student loan default rate at Virginia Tech is lower than is typical, just 0.5% of students default in three years. There are approximately 19,796 students at Virginia Tech that take at least one class online. 2,831 of Virginia Tech students are attending part time.
Academy of Art University landed the #16 spot in our 2021 best design & applied arts schools for non-traditional students. Academy of Art University is a medium-sized private for-profit school located in the large city of San Francisco.
The student loan default rate at Academy of Art University is lower than is typical, just 1.2% of students default in three years. 4,441 students at Academy of Art University are exclusively online. About 3,981 of the students at Academy of Art University are attending part time.
California State University - Long Beach earned the #17 spot in our 2021 rankings. Located in the city of Long Beach, CSULB is a public school with a fairly large student population.
About 0.8% of CSULB students default on their loans in three years, which is lower than average. There are approximately 24,806 students at CSULB that take at least one class online. There are roughly 8,046 part time students in attendance at CSULB.
Our rankings recognize The University of Texas at Austin as the #18 school in this year's rankings. Located in the city of Austin, UT Austin is a public college with a fairly large student population. UT Austin excels when it comes to major quality. It's ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Colleges for Design & Applied Arts list.
The school has a low student loan default rate of 0.8%. Approximately 23,198 students take at least one class online at UT Austin. There are roughly 3,479 part time students in attendance at UT Austin.
Virginia Commonwealth University comes in at #19 in this year's ranking. VCU is a very large public school located in the medium-sized city of Richmond.
The school has a low student loan default rate of 0.9%. There are approximately 19,039 students at VCU that take at least one class online. About 5,055 of the students at VCU are attending part time.
The #20 spot in this year's ranking belongs to University of Wisconsin - Madison. Located in the city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public college with a fairly large student population. UW - Madison excels when it comes to major quality. It's ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Colleges for Design & Applied Arts list.
About 0.2% of UW - Madison students default on their loans in three years, which is lower than average. There are approximately 11,375 students at UW - Madison that take at least one class online. 4,683 of UW - Madison students are attending part time.
Our rankings recognize University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as the #21 school in this year's rankings. Located in the city of Champaign, UIUC is a public school with a very large student population. UIUC also claimed a spot on our Best Colleges for Design & Applied Arts list. It's in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
The school has a low student loan default rate of 0.6%. There are approximately 35,475 students at UIUC that take at least one class online. 10,007 of UIUC students are attending part time.
San Francisco State University landed the #22 spot in our 2021 best design & applied arts schools for non-traditional students. SFSU is a fairly large public school located in the city of San Francisco.
The student loan default rate at SFSU is lower than is typical, just 1.8% of students default in three years. 14,003 of SFSU students are exclusively distance learners. 6,034 students are part time.
The #23 spot in this year's ranking belongs to Rochester Institute of Technology. Located in the suburb of Rochester, RIT is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population. On top of its placing in our non-traditional rankings, RIT also did well on our Best Colleges for Design & Applied Arts list. It's in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis.
The school has a low student loan default rate of 0.8%. There are approximately 9,961 students at RIT that take at least one class online. 1,867 of RIT students are attending part time.
Clemson University earned the #24 spot in our 2021 rankings. Located in the large suburb of Clemson, Clemson is a public college with a very large student population. Clemson excels when it comes to major quality. It's ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Colleges for Design & Applied Arts list.
The school has a low student loan default rate of 0.6%. There are approximately 11,161 students at Clemson that take at least one class online. About 3,412 of the students at Clemson are attending part time.
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These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Design & Applied Arts Colleges for Non-Traditional Students award.
Non-Traditional Student Rankings in Majors Related to Design
Design & Applied Arts is one of 10 different types of Visual & Performing Arts programs to choose from.
Notes and References
Footnotes
*Avg Cost is for the top 25 schools only.
References
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
Design & Applied Arts is the #27th most popular major in the country with 19,864 bachelor's degrees awarded in <nil>.
