2023 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Tennessee
Finding the Best Design & Applied Arts School for You
Design & Applied Arts is the #53 most popular major in Tennessee with 296 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.
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 Tennessee ranking. This report analyzed 11 schools in Tennessee 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 Tennessee
Check out the design programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.
Top 10 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools
Our analysis found The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga to be the best school for design and applied arts students who want to pursue a degree in Tennessee. Located in the city of Chattanooga, UT Chattanooga is a public college with a fairly large student population.
After completing their degree, design graduates from UT Chattanooga carry an average student debtload of $27,000.
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Out of the 11 schools in Tennessee that were part of this year’s ranking, Belmont University landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in the large city of Nashville, Belmont is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.
On average, design graduates from Belmont take out $26,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
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The excellent programs at The University of Tennessee - Knoxville helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best design and applied arts schools in Tennessee. Located in the city of Knoxville, UT Knoxville is a public college with a very large student population.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at The University of Tennessee - Knoxville
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Out of the 11 schools in Tennessee that were part of this year’s ranking, Freed-Hardeman University landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in the distant town of Henderson, FHU is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lipscomb University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Tennessee list. Located in the city of Nashville, Lipscomb is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Lipscomb University Report
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Middle Tennessee State University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best design and applied arts programs. Located in the city of Murfreesboro, Middle Tennessee State University is a public college with a very large student population.
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With a ranking of #7, Nossi College of Art did quite well on this year’s best schools for design and applied arts students. Located in the large city of Madison, Nossi College of Art is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at Nossi College of Art take out is $44,250.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Nossi College of Art
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With a ranking of #8, University of Memphis did quite well on this year’s best schools for design and applied arts students. UofM is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Memphis.
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Chattanooga State Community College 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. Chattanooga State Community College is a medium-sized public school located in the medium-sized city of Chattanooga.
After completing their degree, design graduates from Chattanooga State Community College carry an average student debtload of $14,286.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Chattanooga State Community College
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With a ranking of #10, East Tennessee State University did quite well on this year’s best schools for design and applied arts students. ETSU is a large public school located in the small city of Johnson City.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at ETSU take out is $16,727.
Request InformationBest Design & Applied Arts Colleges in the Southeast Region
Explore all the Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Georgia | 1,446 |
| Virginia | 889 |
| North Carolina | 944 |
| Florida | 1,128 |
| Kentucky | 84 |
| South Carolina | 316 |
| Louisiana | 84 |
| Arkansas | 228 |
| Alabama | 246 |
| Mississippi | 81 |
| West Virginia | 114 |
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings in Tennessee
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.
Most Popular Related Majors
| 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 11 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.