2023 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
Finding the Best Design & Applied Arts School for You
Out of all the majors we analyze each year, design and applied arts was ranked #36 in the country. In fact 36,301 degrees and certificates were handed out in 2020-2021.
With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.
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 the Rocky Mountains Region ranking. Our analysis looked at 17 schools in the Rocky Mountains Region 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 the Rocky Mountains Region
The colleges and universities below are the best for design majors pursuing a .
Top 10 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools
Our analysis found University of Utah to be the best school for design and applied arts students who want to pursue a degree in the Rocky Mountains Region . U of U is a fairly large public school located in the city of Salt Lake City.
Full Design & Applied Arts at University of Utah Report
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A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Arapahoe Community College is a great place for design and applied arts students. Located in the large suburb of Littleton, Arapahoe Community College is a public school with a fairly large student population.
While working on their degree, design majors at Arapahoe Community College accumulate an average of around $23,985 in student debt.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Arapahoe Community College Report
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Out of the 17 schools in the Rocky Mountains Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Provo landed the # 3 spot on the list. Located in the city of Provo, BYU is a private not-for-profit college with a very large student population.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at BYU take out is $10,250.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Brigham Young University - Provo
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The excellent programs at Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best design and applied arts schools in the Rocky Mountains Region . Located in the medium-sized city of Lakewood, RMCAD is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
While working on their degree, design majors at RMCAD accumulate an average of around $44,406 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $420, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Montana State University. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region list. MSU Bozeman is a fairly large public school located in the remote town of Bozeman.
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Utah State University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best design and applied arts programs. Located in the city of Logan, USU is a public college with a very large student population.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at USU take out is $19,750.
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Salt Lake Community College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best design and applied arts programs. Salt Lake Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Salt Lake City.
After completing their degree, design graduates from Salt Lake Community College carry an average student debtload of $12,500.
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Utah Valley University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for design and applied arts students. It came in at #8 on the list. UVU is a fairly large public school located in the small city of Orem.
On average, design graduates from UVU take out $21,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Weber State University landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best design and applied arts programs. WSU is a fairly large public school located in the city of Ogden.
After completing their degree, design graduates from WSU carry an average student debtload of $23,647.
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With a ranking of #10, LDS Business College did quite well on this year’s best schools for design and applied arts students. Located in the city of Salt Lake City, LDS Business College is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
Request InformationBest Design & Applied Arts Colleges by State
Explore the best design and applied arts schools for a specific state in the Rocky Mountains region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Colorado | 316 |
| Utah | 569 |
| Idaho | 125 |
| Montana | 25 |
| Wyoming | 22 |
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings in the Rocky Mountains 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.
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 17 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.