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2024 Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southeast Region

13 Colleges in the Southeast Region
1,332 Associate Degrees
$21,870 Avg Early-Career Salary
Design & Applied Arts is of the hottest associate degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #19 most popular major in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

For its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools in the Southeast Region to determine which ones were the best for design & applied arts students pursuing a associate degree. Combined, these schools handed out 1,332 associate degrees in design & applied arts to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Design & Applied Arts School for Your Associate Degree

Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southeast Region The design associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality design program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:

Overall Quality Is a Must

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To account for this we include a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a host of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Average Early-Career Salaries

To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their associate degree from the school. After all, your associate degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for design & applied arts students working on their associate degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Design & Applied Arts in the Southeast Region

Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for design & applied arts students seeking a an associate degree.

10 Top Southeast Region Schools for an Associate in Design

1

Wake Technical Community College is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting an associate degree in design & applied arts. Wake Technical Community College is a fairly large public college located in the suburb of Raleigh.

Students who graduate with their associate from the design program state that they receive average early career income of $22,330.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Wake Technical Community College

2

Central Piedmont Community College is a wonderful decision for individuals pursuing an associate degree in design & applied arts. Located in the large city of Charlotte, Central Piedmont Community College is a public college with a fairly large student population.

After graduating, design associate recipients usually earn around $20,735 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Central Piedmont Community College

3
GTC crest
Gwinnett Technical College
Lawrenceville, GA
36 Annual Graduates
$20,142 Median Starting Salary
$18,997 Median Student Debt

Any student who is interested in an associate degree in design & applied arts has to take a look at Gwinnett Technical College. GTC is a medium-sized public college located in the suburb of Lawrenceville.

Students who graduate with their associate from the design program state that they receive average early career income of $20,142.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Gwinnett Technical College

4
63 Annual Graduates
$18,250 Median Student Debt

Northern Virginia Community College is a good option for individuals pursuing an associate degree in design & applied arts. Northern Virginia Community College is a fairly large public college located in the large suburb of Annandale.More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Northern Virginia Community College

5
20 Annual Graduates
$16,830 Median Starting Salary
$24,792 Median Student Debt

Located in the midsize city of Fort Lauderdale, Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.

Associate students who receive their degree from the design program make an average of $16,830 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale

6
77 Annual Graduates

MDC is a very large public college located in the large city of Miami.More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Miami Dade College

7
39 Annual Graduates
$10,667 Median Student Debt

Seminole State is a fairly large public college located in the small city of Sanford.More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Seminole State College of Florida

8
44 Annual Graduates
$22,526 Median Starting Salary
$12,320 Median Student Debt

Located in the medium-sized city of Norfolk, Tidewater Community College is a public college with a fairly large student population.

Students who graduate with their associate from the design program report average early career earnings of $22,526.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Tidewater Community College

9
28 Annual Graduates
$23,000 Median Starting Salary
$19,000 Median Student Debt

Located in the midsize suburb of Jamestown, Guilford Technical Community College is a public college with a large student population.

Associate students who receive their degree from the design program earn an average of $23,000 for their early career.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Guilford Technical Community College

10
27 Annual Graduates
$23,624 Median Starting Salary
$11,681 Median Student Debt

Located in the medium-sized city of Chattanooga, Chattanooga State Community College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

After graduation, design associate recipients usually earn an average of $23,624 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Chattanooga State Community College

Best Design & Applied Arts Colleges by State

Explore the best design & applied arts schools for a specific state in the Southeast Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Mississippi 143 52
Georgia 121 159
Florida 121 315
North Carolina 120 393
Arkansas 105 12
Tennessee 102 87
Virginia 97 141
West Virginia 92 8
Kentucky 90 18
Louisiana 80 34
South Carolina 77 80
Alabama 69 33

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Design & Applied Arts is one of 10 different types of Visual & Performing Arts programs to choose from.

Design Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Commercial & Advertising Art 333
Interior Design 284
Visual Communications 261
Game & Interactive Media Design 176
Graphic Design 107
Other Design & Applied Arts 84
Fashion Design 53
Commercial Photography 34

Majors Similar to Design

Related Major Annual Graduates
Film, Video & Photographic Arts 431
Music 308
General Visual & Performing Arts 212
Fine & Studio Arts 197
Drama & Theater Arts 83
Other Visual Art 79
Arts & Media Management 66
Crafts, Folk Art & Artisanry 6

Notes and References

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