2023 Best Design & Applied Arts Master's Degree Schools in California
Finding the Best Design & Applied Arts Master's Degree School for You
With 3,773 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, design and applied arts is the #34 most popular major in California.
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. Also, there are a number of trade schools with offerings that you might find attractive.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Design & Applied Arts Master's Degree Schools in California ranking. Our analysis looked at 10 schools in California to see which master's degree programs offered the best educational experiences for students. To come up with a school's ranking, we analyzed numerous factors related to post-graduation wages, the quality of education offered by the school, average accumulated student debt, and more.
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 Master’s Degree Schools in California
The following schools top our list of the Best Design & Applied Arts Master's Degree Colleges.
Top 10 Best Design & Applied Arts Master's Degree Schools
Our analysis found University of California - Los Angeles to be the best school for design and applied arts students who want to pursue a master’s degree in California. Located in the city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public school with a fairly large student population.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at University of California - Los Angeles
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Out of the 10 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Otis College of Art and Design landed the # 2 spot on the list. Otis College of Art and Design is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Los Angeles.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Otis College of Art and Design Report
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The excellent master’s degree programs at University of Southern California helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best design and applied arts schools in California. USC is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Los Angeles.
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A rank of #4 on this year’s list means California College of the Arts is a great place for design and applied arts students working on their master’s degree. California College of the Arts is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of San Francisco.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Long Beach. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Design & Applied Arts Master’s Degree Schools in California list. Located in the city of Long Beach, CSULB is a public college with a fairly large student population.
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San Francisco State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Design & Applied Arts Master’s Degree Schools in California list. SFSU is a very large public school located in the large city of San Francisco.
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Art Center College of Design came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Design & Applied Arts Master’s Degree Schools in California ranking. Art Center College of Design is a small private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Pasadena.
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Academy of Art University landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best master’s degree design and applied arts programs. Academy of Art University is a medium-sized private for-profit school located in the large city of San Francisco.
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Laguna College of Art and Design ranked #9 on this year’s Best Design & Applied Arts Master’s Degree Schools in California list. LCAD is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Laguna Beach.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Laguna College of Art and Design Report
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New York Film Academy did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for design and applied arts students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #10 on the list. Located in the city of Burbank, New York Film Academy is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at New York Film Academy
Request InformationBest Design & Applied Arts Colleges in the Far Western US Region
Explore all the Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Washington | 532 |
| Oregon | 490 |
| Nevada | 110 |
| Hawaii | 19 |
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings in California
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.
Most Popular Majors Related 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 10 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.
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