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.
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 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 large city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population.
On average, design graduates from Carnegie Mellon take out $25,532 in student loans while working on their degree.
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A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a great place for design and applied arts students. Located in the small city of Troy, RPI is a private not-for-profit college with a medium-sized student population.
On average, design graduates from RPI take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
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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.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of Delaware. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. UD is a very large public school located in the suburb of Newark.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at UD take out is $27,000.
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Out of the 92 schools in the Middle Atlantic Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in the city of Bloomsburg, Bloomsburg is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Report
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With a ranking of #6, American University did quite well on this year’s best schools for design and applied arts students. The American University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington.
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New Jersey Institute of Technology landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best design and applied arts programs. 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
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Millersville University of Pennsylvania landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best design and applied arts programs. Millersville is a moderately-sized public school located in the large suburb of Millersville.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Millersville University of Pennsylvania Report
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Messiah University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for design and applied arts students. It came in at #9 on the list. Messiah is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Mechanicsburg.
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Syracuse University landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best design and applied arts programs. 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.
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Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best design and applied arts programs. SRU is a moderately-sized public school located in the distant town of Slippery Rock.
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Temple University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Located in the large city of Philadelphia, Temple is a public school 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.
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George Washington University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for design and applied arts students. It came in at #13 on the list. Located in the city of Washington, GWU is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.
Full Design & Applied Arts at George Washington University Report
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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
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.
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.
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