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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2026 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Colorado

6 Colleges in the United States
479 Design & Applied Arts Degrees Awarded
$39,799 Avg Early-Career Salary

Design & Applied Arts is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 15 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for design & applied arts students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

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Best Schools for Design & Applied Arts in Colorado

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall design & applied arts education in Colorado.

Top Schools in Design & Applied Arts

1

Leading the list is University Of Denver, our #1 school for design & applied arts. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Denver. University Of Denver graduates 76% of students within six years. University Of Denver awarded about 27 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of University Of Denver earn a median of $31,104 early in their careers. University Of Denver graduates carry a median of $22,534 in student loans. Read more about the design & applied arts program at University Of Denver

2

Arapahoe Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best design & applied arts schools. Located in the suburb of Littleton, Arapahoe Community College is a large public university. There were roughly 60 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Arapahoe Community College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Arapahoe Community College earn around $32,100 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $15,000. Get the full design & applied arts details for Arapahoe Community College

3

Front Range Community College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best design & applied arts schools. Located in the suburb of Westminster, Front Range Community College is a very large public university. About 31 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Front Range Community College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Front Range Community College generally make around $21,397. Typical student debt for the program is $11,000. Read more about the design & applied arts program at Front Range Community College

4

Aims Community College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Greeley, Aims Community College is a large public institution. About 35 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Aims Community College in the most recent year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $45,909 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $11,199. More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Aims Community College

5

Metropolitan State College Of Denver is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in design & applied arts, ranking #5. Located in the city of Denver, Metropolitan State College Of Denver is a very large public university. Roughly 31% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 38 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Metropolitan State College Of Denver in the most recent year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $39,450 in their early career. Metropolitan State College Of Denver graduates carry a median of $29,125 in student loans. More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Metropolitan State College Of Denver

6

Red Rocks Community College placed #6 among the best design & applied arts schools. Red Rocks Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Lakewood. Red Rocks Community College awarded about 47 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Red Rocks Community College earn a median of $76,340 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $14,471 to complete this degree. Read more about the design & applied arts program at Red Rocks Community College

7
Pikes Peak Community College crest
Pikes Peak Community College
Colorado Springs, CO

Pikes Peak Community College came in at #7 for design & applied arts this year. Located in the suburb of Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak Community College is a large public university. There were roughly 47 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Pikes Peak Community College in the most recent data year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Pikes Peak Community College earn a median of $41,037 early in their careers. Pikes Peak Community College graduates carry a median of $16,066 in student loans. Read more about the design & applied arts program at Pikes Peak Community College

8

Community College Of Denver ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best design & applied arts schools. Located in the city of Denver, Community College Of Denver is a large public university. About 20 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Community College Of Denver in the most recent year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Community College Of Denver earn a median of $45,202 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $18,830. Get the full design & applied arts details for Community College Of Denver

9

Rocky Mountain College Of Art And Design placed #9 among the best design & applied arts schools. Rocky Mountain College Of Art And Design is a mid-sized private for-profit school located in the suburb of Lakewood. The six-year graduation rate is 32%. There were roughly 162 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Rocky Mountain College Of Art And Design in the most recent data year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $29,829 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $46,544 to complete this degree. Get the full design & applied arts details for Rocky Mountain College Of Art And Design

10

Pickens Technical College came in at #10 for design & applied arts this year. Located in the city of Aurora, Pickens Technical College is a small public university. There were roughly 12 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Pickens Technical College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Pickens Technical College earn around $35,622 in the first couple years of their career. Pickens Technical College graduates carry a median of $10,250 in student loans. Get the full design & applied arts details for Pickens Technical College

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Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 15 schools evaluated.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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