2023 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
Finding the Best Design & Applied Arts School for You
Design & Applied Arts is the #36 most popular major in the country with 36,301 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
It's not easy to decide which program to enroll in when you have so many options available. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
The Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 92 schools in the Middle Atlantic Region to see which ones offered the best programs for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
The colleges and universities below are the best for design majors pursuing a .
Top 15% Best Design & Applied Arts Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Carnegie Mellon University the best school in the Middle Atlantic Region for design and applied arts students. Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit college with a large student population.
On average, design graduates from Carnegie Mellon take out $25,532 in student loans while working on their degree.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Carnegie Mellon University Report
Request Information
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Located in the small city of Troy, RPI is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.
On average, design graduates from RPI take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Request Information
The excellent programs at University of Pennsylvania helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best design and applied arts schools in the Middle Atlantic Region . UPenn is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia.
Request Information
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means University of Delaware is a great place for design and applied arts students. UD is a very large public school located in the large suburb of Newark.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at UD take out is $27,000.
Full Design & Applied Arts at University of Delaware Report
Request Information
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania is a great place for design and applied arts students. Located in the small city of Bloomsburg, Bloomsburg is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
Request Information
American University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best design and applied arts programs. The American University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Washington.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at American University
Request Information
New Jersey Institute of Technology came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Located in the large city of Newark, NJIT is a public college with a large student population.
While working on their degree, design majors at NJIT accumulate an average of around $27,000 in student debt.
Full Design & Applied Arts at New Jersey Institute of Technology Report
Request Information
With a ranking of #8, Millersville University of Pennsylvania did quite well on this year’s best schools for design and applied arts students. Millersville is a moderately-sized public school located in the large suburb of Millersville.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Millersville University of Pennsylvania Report
Request Information
Messiah University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Messiah is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Mechanicsburg.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Messiah University Report
Request Information
Syracuse University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for design and applied arts students. It came in at #10 on the list. Syracuse is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Syracuse.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at Syracuse take out is $27,000. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $532.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Syracuse University
Request Information
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for design and applied arts students. It came in at #11 on the list. SRU is a moderately-sized public school located in the distant town of Slippery Rock.
Request Information
Temple University landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best design and applied arts programs. Located in the large city of Philadelphia, Temple is a public college with a very large student population.
While working on their degree, design majors at Temple accumulate an average of around $26,000 in student debt.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Temple University
Request Information
George Washington University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Located in the large city of Washington, GWU is a private not-for-profit college with a very large student population.
Request InformationHonorable Mentions
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick | New Brunswick, NJ |
| 15 | York College of Pennsylvania | York, PA |
| 16 | Drexel University | Philadelphia, PA |
| 17 | Finger Lakes Community College | Canandaigua, NY |
| 18 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | Kutztown, PA |
Best Design & Applied Arts Colleges by State
Explore the best design and applied arts schools for a specific state in the Middle Atlantic region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 1,238 |
| New York | 4,391 |
| Maryland | 617 |
| New Jersey | 532 |
| District of Columbia | 84 |
| Delaware | 59 |
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings in the Middle Atlantic Region
Rankings in Majors Related to Design
One of 10 majors within the area of study, design and applied arts has other similar majors worth exploring.
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 25 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.
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.