by our College Data Analytics TeamA degree in Design and Applied Arts allows students to design everything from living rooms, clothing, and comic books to product packages, billboards, and logos. You will learn the skills to use computer-aided design, drawing, and other techniques to create unique images and products.
Design and Applied Arts is a wide field that covers many different topics. Students typically choose to specialize in a specific area of design. Some concentrations available are Design and Visual Communications, Commercial and Advertising Art, Industrial and Product Design, Commercial Photography, Fashion Design, Interior Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, and Game and Interactive Media Design.
Students will take a variety of classes specific to their chosen concentration. However, all Design and Applied Arts students can expect to take graphic design, art history, drawing, illustration, typography, and other art related courses.
A degree in Design & Applied Arts involves the study of Design And Applied Arts. Continue reading for the key facts every design & applied arts major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering design & applied arts programs.
Across the country, design & applied arts is a widely-pursued major, with 38,798 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools ranking analyzes these 1,089 schools to determine the best overall colleges for design & applied arts students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of design & applied arts programs later in this article.
Coursework for Design & Applied Arts build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations design & applied arts graduates commonly enter.
Design and Applied Arts students are typically creative and have the ability to build products, designs, and images in their head. They can take these concepts from paper and create an actual product. Students are detail oriented and perfectionists. They have strong communication and interpersonal skills because they often are working for a client and must listen to what that client wants out of a design or product. Students in this field typically have a background in art.
Design and Applied arts graduates usually work in full time positions in offices, design labs, or on location working for a client. Hours vary depending on the type of work you are doing and if you are trying to meet a deadline.
Students interested in this area should pursue an internship, summer job, or position as an assistant to design professionals. This will allow you to gain experience in the field and get an understanding of how it works.
Depending on the area of specialization, you may only need to earn an associate's degree to work. It is best to look into your desired field of study to learn how much education is necessary and if additional certification is required.
Skills built by a design & applied arts program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a design & applied arts major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several design & applied arts degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 2,649 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 8,370 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 20,229 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 7,311 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 21 |
People currently working in careers related to design & applied arts tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 33.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 30.5% |
| Doctoral degree | 20.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 5.1% |
| Some college courses | 3.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.0% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.4% |
| First professional degree | 1.2% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.5% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.5% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in design & applied arts careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Design and Applied Arts graduates work in many industries including advertising, fashion, graphic design, illustration, interior design, and marketing. You will learn the skills to be successful in your desired area of specialization, making you an asset to companies, small businesses, or design firms.
Some careers in this field are not experiencing any growth, while others are growing at an average rate. This will play a role in the amount of competition graduates will face when looking for a job. Those with previous experience in their field should have an advantage in the job market.
Majoring in design & applied arts can lead to numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to design & applied arts.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to design & applied arts.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,074,154 | 9.1% |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | 964,215 | -0.1% |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | 509,308 | 13.0% |
| Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary | 489,715 | 11.8% |
| Artists and Related Workers, All Other | 427,793 | 13.9% |
| Commercial and Industrial Designers | 387,029 | 12.4% |
| Graphic Designers | 267,813 | 4.6% |
| Fashion Designers | 259,478 | -2.9% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of design & applied arts graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $32,054 |
| 4 years | $41,389 |
| 5 years | $46,982 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for design & applied arts graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers design & applied arts grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Set and Exhibit Designers | $109,049 |
| Art Directors | $103,285 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $88,198 |
| Artists and Related Workers, All Other | $83,610 |
| Photographers | $75,743 |
| Designers, All Other | $73,407 |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | $68,967 |
| Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary | $66,757 |
With 1,089 different design & applied arts programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased design & applied arts school rankings to help you.
Students interested in design & applied arts, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Graphic Design | 10,676 |
| Design and Visual Communications, General | 6,186 |
| Interior Design | 5,651 |
| Illustration | 3,192 |
| Fashion/Apparel Design | 3,186 |
| Commercial and Advertising Art | 2,987 |
| Game and Interactive Media Design | 2,986 |
| Design and Applied Arts, Other | 1,640 |
| Industrial and Product Design | 1,395 |
| Commercial Photography | 899 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Fine and Studio Arts | 37,770 |
| Music | 25,853 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 18,927 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 16,640 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | 7,225 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | 4,430 |
| Dance | 3,274 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other | 941 |
| Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry | 67 |
| Community/Environmental/Socially-Engaged Art | 12 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
