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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2026 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Nebraska

5 Colleges in the United States
263 Design & Applied Arts Degrees Awarded
$40,423 Avg Early-Career Salary

Design & Applied Arts degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their design & applied arts programs.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 14 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 Nebraska

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

Top Schools in Design & Applied Arts

1

No school ranked higher than University Of Nebraska Lincoln this year for design & applied arts. Set in the city of Lincoln, University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a very large public institution. Roughly 67% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 54 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at University Of Nebraska Lincoln in the most recent year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from University Of Nebraska Lincoln earn around $38,585 in the first couple years of their career. University Of Nebraska Lincoln graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. More information about a degree in design & applied arts from University Of Nebraska Lincoln

2
Central Community College crest
Central Community College
Grand Island, NE

A rank of #2 makes Central Community College one of the top schools for design & applied arts. This moderately-sized public university is located in the city of Grand Island. Central Community College awarded about 60 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Central Community College generally make around $43,218. Typical student debt for the program is $10,277. More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Central Community College

3

Students looking for a strong design & applied arts program will find one at Wayne State College, which ranked #3. Set in the town of Wayne, Wayne State College is a moderately-sized public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 52%. About 11 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Wayne State College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Wayne State College generally make around $46,646. Typical student debt for the program is $22,974. More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Wayne State College

4

Metropolitan Community College Area is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Omaha, Metropolitan Community College Area is a very large public institution. There were roughly 95 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Metropolitan Community College Area in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Metropolitan Community College Area generally make around $29,902. Typical student debt for the program is $12,526. Read more about the design & applied arts program at Metropolitan Community College Area

5

Students looking for a strong design & applied arts program will find one at Southeast Community College Area, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Lincoln, Southeast Community College Area is a large public university. Southeast Community College Area awarded about 12 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Southeast Community College Area generally make around $44,877. Typical student debt for the program is $14,935. See the full design & applied arts program report for Southeast Community College Area

6
Bellevue University crest
Bellevue University
Bellevue, NE

Bellevue University landed the #6 spot for design & applied arts this year. Bellevue University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Bellevue. The six-year graduation rate is 33%. About 31 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Bellevue University in the most recent year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $39,313 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $29,688. More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Bellevue University

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Notes and References

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 · 14 schools evaluated.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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