2023 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in New York
Finding the Best Design & Applied Arts School for You
With 4,391 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, design and applied arts is the #16 most popular major in New York.
With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. 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.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in New York ranking. Our analysis looked at 40 schools in New York to see which programs offered the best educational experiences 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 New York
The colleges and universities below are the best for design majors pursuing a .
Top 10 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute the best school in New York for design and applied arts students. RPI is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Troy.
On average, design graduates from RPI take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Report
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A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Syracuse University is a great place for design and applied arts students. Located in the midsize city of Syracuse, Syracuse is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.
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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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Finger Lakes Community College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in New York list. Finger Lakes Community College is a medium-sized public school located in the rural area of Canandaigua.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Finger Lakes Community College Report
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Out of the 40 schools in New York that were part of this year’s ranking, Marist College landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in the suburb of Poughkeepsie, Marist is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at Marist take out is $26,359.
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Out of the 40 schools in New York that were part of this year’s ranking, Rochester Institute of Technology landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in the large suburb of Rochester, RIT is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population.
Design majors at RIT take out an average of $27,000 in student loans while working on their egree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $423, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Rochester Institute of Technology Report
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Fashion Institute of Technology came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in New York ranking. FIT SUNY is a medium-sized public school located in the city of New York.
Design majors at FIT SUNY take out an average of $19,000 in student loans while working on their egree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $288.
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Pratt Institute - Main ranked #7 on this year’s Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in New York list. Pratt Institute is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Brooklyn.
While working on their degree, design majors at Pratt Institute accumulate an average of around $19,000 in student debt. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $891.
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With a ranking of #8, SUNY Oneonta did quite well on this year’s best schools for design and applied arts students. SUNY Oneonta is a medium-sized public school located in the town of Oneonta.
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With a ranking of #9, The New School did quite well on this year’s best schools for design and applied arts students. Located in the large city of New York, New School University is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.
Design majors at New School University take out an average of $23,000 in student loans while working on their egree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $775, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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LIM College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best design and applied arts programs. LIM is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of New York.
While working on their degree, design majors at LIM accumulate an average of around $26,915 in student debt.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at LIM College
Request InformationBest Design & Applied Arts Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region
Explore all the Best Design & Applied Arts Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 1,238 |
| Maryland | 617 |
| New Jersey | 532 |
| District of Columbia | 84 |
| Delaware | 59 |
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings in New York
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 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.