2023 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Massachusetts
Finding the Best Design & Applied Arts School for You
Design & Applied Arts is the #42 most popular major in Massachusetts with 887 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
Today's students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
The Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Massachusetts ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 15 schools in Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts
The following schools top our list of the Best Design & Applied Arts Colleges.
Top 10 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools
Our analysis found Boston University to be the best school for design and applied arts students who want to pursue a degree in Massachusetts. Boston U is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston.
On average, design graduates from Boston U take out $25,500 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Out of the 15 schools in Massachusetts that were part of this year’s ranking, Wentworth Institute of Technology landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in the large city of Boston, WIT is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
While working on their degree, design majors at WIT accumulate an average of around $27,000 in student debt.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Wentworth Institute of Technology
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Northeastern University. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Massachusetts list. Located in the large city of Boston, Northeastern is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at Northeastern take out is $26,750.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Northeastern University
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Out of the 15 schools in Massachusetts that were part of this year’s ranking, Endicott College landed the # 4 spot on the list. Endicott is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Beverly.
After completing their degree, design graduates from Endicott carry an average student debtload of $27,000.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Endicott College Report
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Out of the 15 schools in Massachusetts that were part of this year’s ranking, Suffolk University landed the # 5 spot on the list. Suffolk is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at Suffolk take out is $27,000.
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Holyoke Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for design and applied arts students. It came in at #6 on the list. Located in the large suburb of Holyoke, Holyoke Community College is a public college with a small student population.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Holyoke Community College Report
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Massachusetts College of Art and Design came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Located in the large city of Boston, Massachusetts College of Art and Design is a public school with a small student population.
Design majors at Massachusetts College of Art and Design take out an average of $22,625 in student loans while working on their egree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $322.
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With a ranking of #8, Springfield Technical Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for design and applied arts students. Located in the midsize city of Springfield, STCC is a public college with a small student population.
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University of Massachusetts - Lowell landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best design and applied arts programs. UMass Lowell is a fairly large public school located in the large suburb of Lowell.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at University of Massachusetts - Lowell
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Lesley University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Lesley is a small private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Cambridge.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at Lesley take out is $25,875. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $378, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
Request InformationBest Design & Applied Arts Colleges in the New England Region
Explore all the Best Design & Applied Arts Colleges in the New England Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | 241 |
| New Hampshire | 456 |
| Maine | 24 |
| Rhode Island | 159 |
| Vermont | 99 |
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings in Massachusetts
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.
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 15 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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