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2025 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools

375 Colleges in the United States
36,323 Design Degrees Awarded
$32,983 Avg Early-Career Salary
Design & Applied Arts is of the hottest degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #36 most popular major in the country. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.

College Factual reviewed 375 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of design & applied arts. Combined, these schools handed out 36,323 degrees in design & applied arts to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Design & Applied Arts School

Best Design & Applied Arts Schools The design program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Design & Applied Arts rankings. We derive our Best Overall Design & Applied Arts School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Pick Your Design & Applied Arts Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Design
Bachelor's Degrees in Design
Master's Degrees in Design
Doctor's Degrees in Design

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Design & Applied Arts Schools list, to help you choose the best school for you. If you'd like to restrict your choices to just one part of the country, you can filter this list by location.

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. 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.

If you want to learn more about how we derive our rankings, see College Factual's Methodology.

Best Schools for Design & Applied Arts in the United States

Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the design degree levels they offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Schools in Design

1
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
274 Design Degrees Awarded
$24,724 Median Starting Salary

FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in design & applied arts. FIDM Los Angeles is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of Los Angeles.

There were approximately 274 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at FIDM Los Angeles in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the design program state that they receive average early career earnings of $24,724.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles

2
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
1,313 Design Degrees Awarded
$23,920 Median Starting Salary

Fashion Institute of Technology is a good option for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts. Located in the large city of New York, FIT SUNY is a public school with a moderately-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #32 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means FIT SUNY is a great school overall.

There were about 1313 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at FIT SUNY in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the design program report average early career income of $23,920.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Fashion Institute of Technology

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Bachelors Degree Type
BA in Graphic Design & Media Arts Program Name

Translate your creative ideas through concept, design and digital media with a bachelor's in graphic design online from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BA in Graphic Design & Media Arts from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

3
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
46 Design Degrees Awarded
$82,010 Median Starting Salary

Carnegie Mellon University is a wonderful decision for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts. Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #8 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Carnegie Mellon is a great university overall.

There were roughly 46 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Carnegie Mellon in the most recent data year. Those design & applied arts students who get their degree from Carnegie Mellon University make $49,027 more than the average design grad.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Carnegie Mellon University

4
Syracuse crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
115 Design Degrees Awarded
11.3% Growth in Graduates

Syracuse University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in design & applied arts. Syracuse is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the midsize city of Syracuse. This university ranks 5th out of 136 schools for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were roughly 115 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Syracuse in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the design & applied arts program at Syracuse University get $13,198 more than the standard graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Syracuse University

5
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
227 Design Degrees Awarded
$52,526 Median Starting Salary

UC is a fairly large public university located in the city of Cincinnati. This university ranks 6th out of 91 schools for overall quality in the state of Ohio.

There were approximately 227 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at UC in the most recent year we have data available. Those design & applied arts students who get their degree from University of Cincinnati - Main Campus make $19,543 more than the standard design grad.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from University of Cincinnati - Main Campus

6
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
247 Design Degrees Awarded
$37,528 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Ames, Iowa State is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 37 schools for overall quality in the state of Iowa.

There were roughly 247 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Iowa State in the most recent data year. Those design & applied arts students who get their degree from Iowa State University receive $4,545 more than the standard design grad.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Iowa State University

7
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
413 Design Degrees Awarded
$37,383 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Brooklyn, Pratt Institute is a private not-for-profit school with a moderately-sized student population.

There were roughly 413 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Pratt Institute in the most recent data year. Design & Applied Arts degree recipients from Pratt Institute - Main receive an earnings boost of approximately $4,400 above the average earnings of design & applied arts graduates.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Pratt Institute - Main

Sponsored
Associates Degree Type
AA in Digital Photography Program Name

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.

More information about a degree in AA in Digital Photography from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

8
Graduate Certificate Highest Degree Type
140 Design Degrees Awarded
$24,706 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Boston, Massachusetts College of Art and Design is a public college with a small student population.

There were approximately 140 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Massachusetts College of Art and Design in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the design program earn an average of $24,706 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Massachusetts College of Art and Design

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
141 Design Degrees Awarded
7.8% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Minneapolis, UMN Twin Cities is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #45 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UMN Twin Cities is a great university overall.

There were roughly 141 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at UMN Twin Cities in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the design & applied arts degree program at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities earn $9,479 more than the standard graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

10
Drexel crest
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
178 Design Degrees Awarded
$38,154 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Philadelphia, Drexel is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 10th out of 103 colleges for overall quality in the state of Pennsylvania.

There were roughly 178 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Drexel in the most recent year we have data available. Those design & applied arts students who get their degree from Drexel University earn $5,171 more than the average design student.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Drexel University

11
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
84 Design Degrees Awarded
20.2% Growth in Graduates

USC is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #13 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means USC is a great university overall.

There were approximately 84 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the design & applied arts major at University of Southern California earn $31,863 above the typical graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from University of Southern California

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BA in Digital Photography Program Name

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.

More information about a degree in BA in Digital Photography from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

12
New School University crest
The New School
New York, NY
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
668 Design Degrees Awarded
18.6% Growth in Graduates

New School University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. This school ranks 22nd out of 136 colleges for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were approximately 668 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at New School University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, design degree recipients generally earn around $29,331 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from The New School

13
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
199 Design Degrees Awarded
3.5% Growth in Graduates

ASU - Tempe is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Tempe. This university ranks 2nd out of 26 colleges for overall quality in the state of Arizona.

There were approximately 199 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at ASU - Tempe in the most recent data year. Those design & applied arts students who get their degree from Arizona State University - Tempe receive $4,908 more than the standard design graduate.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Arizona State University - Tempe

14
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
38 Design Degrees Awarded
$63,449 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #44 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UW Seattle is a great university overall.

There were approximately 38 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at UW Seattle in the most recent data year. Design & Applied Arts degree recipients from University of Washington - Seattle Campus receive an earnings boost of approximately $30,466 over the typical earnings of design & applied arts majors.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from University of Washington - Seattle Campus

15
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
77 Design Degrees Awarded
2.6% Growth in Graduates

Northeastern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Boston. A Best Colleges rank of #33 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Northeastern is a great university overall.

There were about 77 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Northeastern in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the design & applied arts major at Northeastern University make $16,744 more than the standard graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Northeastern University

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BA in Game Art & Development Program Name

Get on the right path to the fast-paced, exciting world of video game art and design with this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BA in Game Art & Development from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

16
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
314 Design Degrees Awarded
$33,663 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Baltimore, MICA is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

There were about 314 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at MICA in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduation, design degree recipients typically make about $33,663 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Maryland Institute College of Art

17
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
$46,825 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large suburb of Notre Dame, Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #29 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Notre Dame is a great university overall.

There were approximately 29 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Notre Dame in the most recent data year. Those design & applied arts students who get their degree from University of Notre Dame receive $13,842 more than the average design student.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from University of Notre Dame

18
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
111 Design Degrees Awarded
6.3% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Austin, UT Austin is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #46 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UT Austin is a great university overall.

There were roughly 111 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at UT Austin in the most recent year we have data available. Those design & applied arts students who get their degree from The University of Texas at Austin receive $11,523 more than the standard design student.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from The University of Texas at Austin

19
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
155 Design Degrees Awarded
$34,709 Median Starting Salary

RIT is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Rochester. This school ranks 13th out of 136 schools for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were roughly 155 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at RIT in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the design program report average early career income of $34,709.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Rochester Institute of Technology

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BA in Graphic Design & Media Arts - Web Design Program Name

Gain a solid grounding in your online web design classes and exercise your creative muscle with this specialized online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BA in Graphic Design & Media Arts - Web Design from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

20
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
264 Design Degrees Awarded
$47,053 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Pasadena, Art Center College of Design is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

There were approximately 264 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Art Center College of Design in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the design & applied arts major at Art Center College of Design earn $14,070 more than the standard graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Art Center College of Design

21
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
74 Design Degrees Awarded
$33,615 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large suburb of Saint Louis, WUSTL is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #21 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means WUSTL is a great university overall.

There were about 74 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at WUSTL in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the design program make an average of $33,615 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Washington University in St Louis

22
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
887 Design Degrees Awarded
$25,265 Median Starting Salary

SCAD is a fairly large private not-for-profit college located in the city of Savannah.

There were about 887 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at SCAD in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the design program report average early career wages of $25,265.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Savannah College of Art and Design

23
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
66 Design Degrees Awarded
$31,078 Median Starting Salary

WWU is a fairly large public university located in the city of Bellingham. This university ranks 5th out of 50 schools for overall quality in the state of Washington.

There were about 66 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at WWU in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the design program report average early career income of $31,078.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Western Washington University

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BS in Game Programming & Development Program Name

Go beyond traditional software development to gain the technical expertise required to succeed in an exciting and competitive field with this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BS in Game Programming & Development from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

24
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
Graduate Certificate Highest Degree Type
110 Design Degrees Awarded
11.8% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 56 schools for overall quality in the state of Michigan.

There were approximately 110 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Michigan State in the most recent data year. Those design & applied arts students who get their degree from Michigan State University make $3,801 more than the standard design grad.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Michigan State University

25
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
239 Design Degrees Awarded
$29,630 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Chicago, Columbia is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population. This college ranks 9th out of 85 schools for overall quality in the state of Illinois.

There were roughly 239.00000000000003 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Columbia in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the design program state that they receive average early career wages of $29,630.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Columbia College Chicago

Rest of the Top 50 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools

26
27
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
28
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
29
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA
30
31
32

33

34
35
36
37
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, MA
38
Auburn crest
Auburn University
Auburn, AL
39
40
41

42

43
44
45
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS
46
47
48
49
Temple crest
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA
50

Remaining Award Winners

This list represents the remainder of the schools awarded a Best Design & Applied Arts Schools badge. Showing in this list means the school was ranked in the top 20% of the 375 different United States design & applied arts schools we analyzed.

Rank College Location
51 University of Delaware Newark, DE
52 University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI
53 Wentworth Institute of Technology Boston, MA
54 School of Visual Arts New York, NY
55 University of Wisconsin - Stout Menomonie, WI
56 Clemson University Clemson, SC
57 Texas State University San Marcos, TX
58 University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT
59 Columbus College of Art and Design Columbus, OH
60 Collin County Community College District McKinney, TX
61 North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC
62 Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Atlanta, GA
63 Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI
64 Endicott College Beverly, MA
65 Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX
66 Appalachian State University Boone, NC
67 Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, IN
68 Belmont University Nashville, TN
69 Academy of Art University San Francisco, CA
70 DePaul University Chicago, IL
71 California Institute of the Arts Valencia, CA
72 Marist College Poughkeepsie, NY
73 University of North Texas Denton, TX
74 Florida State University Tallahassee, FL
75 Johnson County Community College Overland Park, KS

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great schools for Design & Applied Arts students that almost earned our Best Design & Applied Arts Schools award.

Rank College Location
76 University of Arizona Tucson, AZ
77 Ringling College of Art and Design Sarasota, FL
78 University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
79 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY
80 University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth North Dartmouth, MA
81 University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA
82 Miami University - Oxford Oxford, OH
83 American University Washington, DC
84 Minneapolis College of Art and Design Minneapolis, MN
85 Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny, IA
86 Cleveland Institute of Art Cleveland, OH
87 Baylor University Waco, TX
88 Luther College Decorah, IA
89 Lesley University Cambridge, MA
90 Liberty University Lynchburg, VA
91 The University of the Arts Philadelphia, PA
92 Montclair State University Montclair, NJ
93 Laguna College of Art and Design Laguna Beach, CA
94 University of Kentucky Lexington, KY
95 Portland Community College Portland, OR
96 Gateway Technical College Kenosha, WI
97 Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ
98 Suffolk University Boston, MA
99 University of Denver Denver, CO
100 University of Oregon Eugene, OR
101 Western Technical College La Crosse, WI
102 Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Stillwater, OK
103 West Virginia University Morgantown, WV
104 Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI
105 University of Miami Coral Gables, FL
106 Brigham Young University - Provo Provo, UT
107 Seattle Pacific University Seattle, WA
108 Kansas City Art Institute Kansas City, MO
109 Bowling Green State University - Main Campus Bowling Green, OH
110 Marymount University Arlington, VA
111 Palm Beach State College Lake Worth, FL
112 University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Norman, OK
113 Azusa Pacific University Azusa, CA
114 Gwinnett Technical College Lawrenceville, GA
115 University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR
116 Ball State University Muncie, IN
117 Bradley University Peoria, IL
118 Samford University Birmingham, AL
119 University of Dayton Dayton, OH
120 Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ
121 El Centro College Dallas, TX
122 University of California - Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA
123 Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT
124 Portland State University Portland, OR
125 Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX

Design & Applied Arts by Region

View the Best Design & Applied Arts Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

View All Rankings >

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

Design Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Graphic Design 8,931
Visual Communications 6,039
Interior Design 5,811
Commercial & Advertising Art 3,259
Fashion Design 3,040
Illustration 2,804
Game & Interactive Media Design 2,353
Industrial Design 1,714
Other Design & Applied Arts 1,497
Commercial Photography 875

View All Design Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Fine & Studio Arts 37,604
Music 25,860
Film, Video & Photographic Arts 17,626
Drama & Theater Arts 17,039
General Visual & Performing Arts 6,776
Arts & Media Management 4,667
Dance 3,301
Other Visual Art 999
Crafts, Folk Art & Artisanry 73
Community/Environmental/Socially-Engaged Art 5

View All Design Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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