2023 Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Finding the Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree School for You
Out of all the majors we analyze each year, design and applied arts was ranked #36 in the country. In fact 36,301 degrees and certificates were handed out in 2020-2021.
With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.
The Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 14 schools in the Great Lakes Region to see which ones offered the best associate degree programs for students. Factors related to overall quality of the school, post-graduation earnings, average student debt, and more accumulated were considered when coming up with this list.
View our full ranking methodology.
Featured Design & Applied Arts Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
BA in Graphic Design & Media Arts
Translate your creative ideas through concept, design and digital media with a bachelor's in graphic design online from Southern New Hampshire University.
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.
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.
2023 Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region
The following schools top our list of the Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Colleges.
Top 10 Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools
Our analysis found Madison Area Technical College to be the best school for design and applied arts students who want to pursue a associate degree in the Great Lakes Region . Madison College is a large public school located in the city of Madison.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at Madison College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $19,387.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Madison Area Technical College
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A rank of #2 on this year’s list means The Modern College of Design is a great place for design and applied arts students working on their associate degree. The Modern College of Design is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the city of Kettering.
While working on their Associate Degree, design majors at The Modern College of Design accumulate an average of around $8,516 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $279, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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The excellent associate degree programs at Waukesha County Technical College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best design and applied arts schools in the Great Lakes Region . WCTC is a medium-sized public school located in the large suburb of Pewaukee.
Design majors at WCTC take out an average of $18,801 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Waukesha County Technical College Report
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The excellent associate degree programs at Macomb Community College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best design and applied arts schools in the Great Lakes Region . Macomb Community College is a large public school located in the medium-sized city of Warren.
While working on their Associate Degree, design majors at Macomb Community College accumulate an average of around $10,363 in student debt.
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A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Milwaukee Area Technical College is a great place for design and applied arts students working on their associate degree. Located in the city of Milwaukee, MATC is a public college with a fairly large student population.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at MATC take out while working on their Associate Degree is $19,061.
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Western Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for design and applied arts students to get a associate degree. It came in at #6 on the list. Western Technical College is a small public school located in the small city of La Crosse.
While working on their Associate Degree, design majors at Western Technical College accumulate an average of around $18,046 in student debt.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Western Technical College Report
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Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree design and applied arts programs. Located in the city of Indianapolis, IUPUI is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Report
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Ivy Tech Community College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in the city of Indianapolis, Ivy Tech Community College is a public school with a very large student population.
While working on their Associate Degree, design majors at Ivy Tech Community College accumulate an average of around $17,560 in student debt.
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Sinclair Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in the midsize city of Dayton, Sinclair Community College is a public college with a large student population.
After completing their Associate Degree, design graduates from Sinclair Community College carry an average student debtload of $14,806.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Sinclair Community College Report
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With a ranking of #10, Gateway Technical College did quite well on this year’s best schools for design and applied arts students working on their associate degree. Located in the midsize suburb of Kenosha, Gateway Technical College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
After completing their Associate Degree, design graduates from Gateway Technical College carry an average student debtload of $17,916.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Gateway Technical College Report
Request InformationBest Design & Applied Arts Colleges by State
Explore the best design and applied arts schools for a specific state in the Great Lakes region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Michigan | 1,011 |
| Ohio | 1,456 |
| Illinois | 979 |
| Indiana | 417 |
| Wisconsin | 717 |
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings in the Great Lakes Region
Related Programs
Learn about other programs related to Design & Applied Arts that might interest you.
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.
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.
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.
Design & Applied Arts Related Rankings by Major
Design & Applied Arts is one of 10 different types of programs to choose from.
Majors Similar to Design
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Fine & Studio Arts | 37,413 |
| Music | 25,910 |
| Drama & Theater Arts | 17,341 |
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 16,778 |
| General Visual & Performing Arts | 6,355 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 14 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- 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 the rest 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.