Design & Applied Arts programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 1237 schools to find the best for design & applied arts students.
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No school ranked higher than County College Of Morris this year for design & applied arts. This moderately-sized public university is located in the suburb of Randolph. About 18 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at County College Of Morris in the most recent year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from County College Of Morris earn around $30,966 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $9,420.
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Collin County Community College District is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in design & applied arts, ranking #2. This very large public university is located in the suburb of McKinney. About 105 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Collin County Community College District in the most recent year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $33,456 in their early career. Collin County Community College District graduates carry a median of $6,900 in student loans.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Collin County Community College District
Pratt Institute Main came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best design & applied arts schools. Pratt Institute Main is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Brooklyn. The six-year graduation rate is 74%. Pratt Institute Main awarded about 322 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Pratt Institute Main generally make around $40,880. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete this degree.
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Students looking for a strong design & applied arts program will find one at Fashion Institute Of Technology, which ranked #4. Located in the city of New York, Fashion Institute Of Technology is a moderately-sized public university. There were roughly 892 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Fashion Institute Of Technology in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Fashion Institute Of Technology generally make around $14,361. Fashion Institute Of Technology graduates carry a median of $12,000 in student loans.
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A rank of #5 makes The New School one of the top schools for design & applied arts. Located in the city of New York, The New School is a large private not-for-profit university. Roughly 70% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 303 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at The New School in the most recent data year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of The New School earn a median of $44,640 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $21,211.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from The New School
Rochester Institute Of Technology landed the #6 spot for design & applied arts this year. Located in the suburb of Rochester, Rochester Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit university. Roughly 72% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 193 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Rochester Institute Of Technology in the most recent data year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Rochester Institute Of Technology earn a median of $34,709 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree.
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Madison Area Technical College came in at #7 for design & applied arts this year. Madison Area Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Madison. Madison Area Technical College awarded about 86 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Madison Area Technical College earn around $30,710 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $15,750.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Madison Area Technical College
Johnson County Community College earned the #8 position for design & applied arts this year. Located in the city of Overland Park, Johnson County Community College is a very large public university. There were roughly 69 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Johnson County Community College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Johnson County Community College generally make around $32,030. Typical student debt for the program is $13,625.
See the full design & applied arts program report for Johnson County Community College
Bellevue College landed the #9 spot for design & applied arts this year. Set in the city of Bellevue, Bellevue College is a large public institution. Bellevue College awarded about 23 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Bellevue College earn around $45,947 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $33,660.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Bellevue College
Palm Beach State College placed #10 among the best design & applied arts schools. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Lake Worth. About 20 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Palm Beach State College in the most recent year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Palm Beach State College earn a median of $36,768 early in their careers. Palm Beach State College graduates carry a median of $12,518 in student loans.
See the full design & applied arts program report for Palm Beach State College
Alexandria Technical And Community College ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best design & applied arts schools. Located in the town of Alexandria, Alexandria Technical And Community College is a mid-sized public university. About 24 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Alexandria Technical And Community College in the most recent year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Alexandria Technical And Community College earn around $31,830 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete this degree.
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Kirkwood Community College ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best design & applied arts schools. This large public university is located in the city of Cedar Rapids. There were roughly 18 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Kirkwood Community College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Kirkwood Community College generally make around $32,116. Typical student debt for the program is $10,519.
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Montana State University earned the #13 position for design & applied arts this year. This large public university is located in the city of Bozeman. Montana State University graduates 57% of students within six years. About 23 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Montana State University in the most recent year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Montana State University earn a median of $36,931 early in their careers. Montana State University graduates carry a median of $18,880 in student loans.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Montana State University
Santa Rosa Junior College came in at #14 for design & applied arts this year. Santa Rosa Junior College is a very large public school located in the city of Santa Rosa. About 33 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Santa Rosa Junior College in the most recent year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $80,047 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $14,692 to complete this degree.
Read more about the design & applied arts program at Santa Rosa Junior College
New England Institute Of Technology came in at #15 for design & applied arts this year. Set in the suburb of East Greenwich, New England Institute Of Technology is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. New England Institute Of Technology awarded about 49 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from New England Institute Of Technology generally make around $26,282. Typical student debt for the program is $12,000.
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Dakota County Technical College landed the #16 spot for design & applied arts this year. Dakota County Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Rosemount. About 33 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Dakota County Technical College in the most recent year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Dakota County Technical College earn around $50,429 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $13,474 to complete this degree.
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Scottsdale Community College ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the best design & applied arts schools. Located in the rural area of Scottsdale, Scottsdale Community College is a large public university. Scottsdale Community College awarded about 44 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Scottsdale Community College earn around $38,676 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $13,084.
See the full design & applied arts program report for Scottsdale Community College
Fox Valley Technical College earned the #18 position for design & applied arts this year. Set in the suburb of Appleton, Fox Valley Technical College is a large public institution. There were roughly 48 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Fox Valley Technical College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Fox Valley Technical College earn around $32,673 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $16,582.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Fox Valley Technical College
College Of Dupage landed the #19 spot for design & applied arts this year. College Of Dupage is a very large public school located in the suburb of Glen Ellyn. About 44 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at College Of Dupage in the most recent year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $31,463 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $10,653.
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Forsyth Technical Community College earned the #20 position for design & applied arts this year. Forsyth Technical Community College is a large public school located in the city of Winston-Salem. There were roughly 17 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Forsyth Technical Community College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Forsyth Technical Community College earn around $29,715 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $16,374.
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Suffolk County Community College earned the #21 position for design & applied arts this year. Suffolk County Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Selden. About 44 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Suffolk County Community College in the most recent year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Suffolk County Community College earn around $24,907 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $9,132.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Suffolk County Community College
Chippewa Valley Technical College landed the #22 spot for design & applied arts this year. Chippewa Valley Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Eau Claire. Chippewa Valley Technical College awarded about 26 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Chippewa Valley Technical College earn a median of $45,531 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $14,234.
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Glendale Community College Glendale Az earned the #23 position for design & applied arts this year. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Glendale. About 35 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Glendale Community College Glendale Az in the most recent year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Glendale Community College Glendale Az earn around $51,483 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $15,996.
Get the full design & applied arts details for Glendale Community College Glendale Az
Weber State University landed the #24 spot for design & applied arts this year. Weber State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ogden. Weber State University graduates 47% of students within six years. Weber State University awarded about 23 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $40,507 in their early career. Weber State University graduates carry a median of $21,851 in student loans.
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Bergen Community College placed #25 among the best design & applied arts schools. Set in the suburb of Paramus, Bergen Community College is a large public institution. About 43 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Bergen Community College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Bergen Community College generally make around $51,280. Students borrow a median of $17,720 to complete this degree.
See the full design & applied arts program report for Bergen Community College
Rest of the Top 50 Design & Applied Arts Schools
Not far behind, these schools also delivered a strong design & applied arts education:
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 1237 schools evaluated.
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 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).
