2023 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Southwest 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.
There are so many programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one 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.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Southwest Region to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 48 schools in the Southwest 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 Southwest Region
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 Texas at Austin to be the best school for design and applied arts students who want to pursue a degree in the Southwest Region . UT Austin is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Austin.
After completing their degree, design graduates from UT Austin carry an average student debtload of $19,750.
Request Information
Out of the 48 schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Texas Christian University landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in the large city of Fort Worth, TCU is a private not-for-profit college with a large student population.
Request Information
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Oklahoma State University - Main Campus. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Southwest Region list. OSU is a very large public school located in the distant town of Stillwater.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Report
Request Information
The excellent programs at Southern Methodist University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best design and applied arts schools in the Southwest Region . SMU is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Dallas.
Request Information
The excellent programs at Texas Tech University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best design and applied arts schools in the Southwest Region . Texas Tech is a fairly large public school located in the city of Lubbock.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Texas Tech University
Request Information
American Institute of Interior Design 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 medium-sized city of Fountain Hills, AIID is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at AIID take out is $8,313.
Request Information
Scottsdale Community College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best design and applied arts programs. Located in the rural area of Scottsdale, Scottsdale Community College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
Design majors at Scottsdale Community College take out an average of $12,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Scottsdale Community College
Request Information
Baylor University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Southwest Region list. Baylor is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Waco.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at Baylor take out is $27,000.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Baylor University Report
Request Information
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best design and applied arts programs. Located in the suburb of Norman, University of Oklahoma is a public college with a very large student population.
Design majors at University of Oklahoma take out an average of $27,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
Request Information
With a ranking of #10, West Texas A&M University did quite well on this year’s best schools for design and applied arts students. West Texas A&M University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Canyon.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at West Texas A&M University
Request InformationBest Design & Applied Arts Colleges by State
Explore the best design and applied arts schools for a specific state in the Southwest region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Texas | 1,449 |
| Arizona | 594 |
| Oklahoma | 211 |
| New Mexico | 30 |
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings in the Southwest 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.
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 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.
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.