2023 Most Popular Design & Applied Arts Bachelor's Degree Schools
Finding the Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor's Degree 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.
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.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Most Popular Design & Applied Arts Bachelor's Degree Schools ranking. This report analyzed 650 schools in the United States to see which ones were the most popular bachelor's degree programs for students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from the Design & Applied Arts program at each school on the list.
Featured Design 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.
2023 Most Popular Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the United States
Check out the design bachelor's degree programs at these schools if you want to attend one of the most popular in the United States.
Top 25 Most Popular Schools for a Bachelor's in Design & Applied Arts
Our analysis found Savannah College of Art and Design to be the most popular school for design and applied arts students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the United States. SCAD is a large private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Savannah.
Women make up 73% of the design majors at the school.
Design majors at SCAD take out an average of $26,596 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $981, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Fashion Institute of Technology is a great place for design and applied arts students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the city of New York, FIT SUNY is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
Of the 607 students majoring in design at FIT SUNY, 15% are male and 85% are female.
After completing their Bachelor's Degree, design graduates from FIT SUNY carry an average student debt load of $23,797. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $313, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pratt Institute - Main. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Popular Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the large city of Brooklyn, Pratt Institute is a private not-for-profit college with a medium-sized student population.
About 72% of the students majoring in design at the school are women while 28% are male.
After completing their Bachelor's Degree, design graduates from Pratt Institute carry an average student debt load of $24,423. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $970.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Pratt Institute - Main Report
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern New Hampshire University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Popular Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the midsize suburb of Manchester, SNHU is a private not-for-profit school with a very large student population.
Women make up 68% of the design majors at the school.
On average, design graduates from SNHU take out $32,458 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Southern New Hampshire University Report
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The New School. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Popular Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. New School University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of New York.
Women make up 79% of the design majors at the school.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at New School University take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $24,446. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $775.
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Virginia Commonwealth University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the city of Richmond, VCU is a public school with a very large student population.
About 77% of the students majoring in design at the school are women while 23% are male.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, design majors at VCU accumulate an average of around $24,250 in student debt. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $280.
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Columbia College Chicago landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree design and applied arts programs. Columbia is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Chicago.
Women make up 66% of the design majors at the school.
Design majors at Columbia take out an average of $29,562 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $485, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Art Center College of Design did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for design and applied arts students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #8 on the list. Located in the city of Pasadena, Art Center College of Design is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
About 71% of the students majoring in design at the school are women while 29% are male.
Design majors at Art Center College of Design take out an average of $35,062 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $878, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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With a ranking of #9, Full Sail University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for design and applied arts students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the large suburb of Winter Park, Full Sail University is a private for-profit college with a very large student population.
About 58% of the students majoring in design at the school are women while 42% are male.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at Full Sail University take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $38,080. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $274, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Iowa State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. Iowa State is a fairly large public school located in the city of Ames.
Of the 239 students majoring in design at Iowa State, 30% are male and 70% are female.
Design majors at Iowa State take out an average of $24,944 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $262.
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University of Cincinnati - Main Campus came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the city of Cincinnati, UC is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Of the 235 students majoring in design at UC, 22% are male and 78% are female.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, design majors at UC accumulate an average of around $24,382 in student debt. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $365.
Full Design & Applied Arts at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Report
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With a ranking of #12, University of California - Davis did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for design and applied arts students working on their bachelor’s degree. UC Davis is a very large public school located in the small suburb of Davis.
Women make up 79% of the design majors at the school.
After completing their Bachelor's Degree, design graduates from UC Davis carry an average student debt load of $15,187. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $319.
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Kent State University at Kent landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree design and applied arts programs. Located in the large suburb of Kent, Kent State is a public college with a very large student population.
About 89% of the students majoring in design at the school are women while 11% are male.
Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $322.
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San Jose State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for design and applied arts students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #14 on the list. San Jose State is a very large public school located in the city of San Jose.
About 62% of the students majoring in design at the school are women while 38% are male.
Full Design & Applied Arts at San Jose State University Report
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Massachusetts College of Art and Design ranked #15 on this year’s Most Popular Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the large city of Boston, Massachusetts College of Art and Design is a public school with a small student population.
Women make up 74% of the design majors at the school.
After completing their Bachelor's Degree, design graduates from Massachusetts College of Art and Design carry an average student debt load of $23,824. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $322.
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Drexel University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for design and applied arts students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #16 on the list. Located in the city of Philadelphia, Drexel is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.
Of the 193 students majoring in design at Drexel, 25% are male and 75% are female.
Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $888.
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San Francisco State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the city of San Francisco, SFSU is a public college with a very large student population.
About 60% of the students majoring in design at the school are women while 40% are male.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, design majors at SFSU accumulate an average of around $19,788 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $378, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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School of Visual Arts ranked #18 on this year’s Most Popular Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the city of New York, SVA is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
Women make up 76% of the design majors at the school.
Design majors at SVA take out an average of $27,034 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $911.
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Arizona State University - Tempe landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree design and applied arts programs. ASU - Tempe is a fairly large public school located in the midsize city of Tempe.
Of the 183 students majoring in design at ASU - Tempe, 22% are male and 78% are female.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, design majors at ASU - Tempe accumulate an average of around $22,487 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $313, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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With a ranking of #20, Appalachian State University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for design and applied arts students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the distant town of Boone, Appalachian State is a public school with a fairly large student population.
About 62% of the students majoring in design at the school are women while 38% are male.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at Appalachian State take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $22,791. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $242.
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Liberty University landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree design and applied arts programs. Located in the small city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.
About 71% of the students majoring in design at the school are women while 29% are male.
Design majors at Liberty University take out an average of $23,836 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $432.
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College for Creative Studies landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree design and applied arts programs. CCS is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Detroit.
About 57% of the students majoring in design at the school are women while 43% are male.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, design majors at CCS accumulate an average of around $28,655 in student debt. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $594.
Full Design & Applied Arts at College for Creative Studies Report
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With a ranking of #23, Maryland Institute College of Art did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for design and applied arts students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the large city of Baltimore, MICA is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
Women make up 77% of the design majors at the school.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at MICA take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $24,320. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $779, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Maryland Institute College of Art Report
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California State University - Chico ranked #24 on this year’s Most Popular Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Chico State is a fairly large public school located in the midsize city of Chico.
Of the 143 students majoring in design at Chico State, 65% are male and 35% are female.
The average amount in student loans that design majors at Chico State take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $18,522.
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California State University - Long Beach ranked #25 on this year’s Most Popular Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. CSULB is a very large public school located in the city of Long Beach.
About 65% of the students majoring in design at the school are women while 35% are male.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, design majors at CSULB accumulate an average of around $21,064 in student debt.
Full Design & Applied Arts at California State University - Long Beach Report
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Additional Award Winners
This section shows the rest of the colleges awarded a Most Popular Design & Applied Arts Bachelor's Degree Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 15% of the 650 different United States design and applied arts schools we analyzed.
Honorable Mentions
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also popular but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Most Popular Design & Applied Arts Bachelor's Degree Schools award.
Design & Applied Arts by Region
View the Most Popular Design & Applied Arts Bachelor's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Great Lakes |
Other Related Design 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.
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 25 schools only.
- 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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