Applied Arts and Design: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Applied Arts and Design is a dynamic, interdisciplinary field focused on the creative application of artistic principles to functional, aesthetic, and commercial outcomes. This program equips students with the technical proficiency, conceptual thinking, and hands-on experience needed to thrive in diverse design environments across industries.
- Visual Communication Design: The strategic use of typography, imagery, and layout to convey messages effectively across print, digital, and interactive platforms.
- Product Design: The development of functional, user-centered products through ideation, prototyping, and iterative design processes.
- Textile and Surface Design: The creation of patterns, fabrics, and decorative surfaces for fashion, interior spaces, and commercial applications.
- Environmental Design: The planning and design of interior and exterior spaces that enhance usability, aesthetics, and human experience.
- 3D Modeling and Digital Fabrication: The application of computer-aided design (CAD) and emerging technologies like 3D printing to produce physical artifacts.
- Design Research and Methodology: The systematic exploration of user needs, cultural contexts, and design trends to inform creative decision-making.
Applied Arts and Design Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Applied Arts and Design Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Applied Arts and Design degrees, including . These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements.
Career salary data is not available for this program.
Top Universities for Applied Arts and Design by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 72 institutions offering Applied Arts and Design programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Applied Arts and Design is found at Full Sail University (334 graduates), San Jose State University (SJSU) (162 graduates), Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) (132 graduates), CUNY Queens College (115 graduates), and The New School (64 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 1,640 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Sail University |
Associate's
Bachelor's
|
334 | Winter Park, Florida | Private | fullsail.edu |
| San Jose State University (SJSU) |
Bachelor's
|
162 | San Jose, California | Public | sjsu.edu |
| Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
132 | Baltimore, Maryland | Private | mica.edu |
| CUNY Queens College |
Bachelor's
|
115 | Queens, New York | Public | qc.cuny.edu |
| The New School |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
64 | New York, New York | Private | newschool.edu |
| University of California (UCLA) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
58 | Los Angeles, California | Public | ucla.edu |
| California State University (CSUSB) |
Bachelor's
|
51 | San Bernardino, California | Public | csusb.edu |
| University of Oregon (UO) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
45 | Eugene, Oregon | Public | uoregon.edu |
| Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) |
Bachelor's
|
43 | Richmond, Virginia | Public | vcu.edu |
| California State University |
Bachelor's
|
42 | Sacramento, California | Public | csus.edu |
| California State University (CSULB) |
Bachelor's
|
39 | Long Beach, California | Public | csulb.edu |
| Arizona State University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
34 | Scottsdale, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| Oregon State University (OSU) |
Bachelor's
|
33 | Corvallis, Oregon | Public | oregonstate.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Other Award
|
32 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| Northeastern University (NU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
31 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | northeastern.edu |
| Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) |
Bachelor's
|
29 | New York, New York | Public | fitnyc.edu |
| Drexel University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
29 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | drexel.edu |
| California State University (CSUDH) |
Bachelor's
|
24 | Carson, California | Public | csudh.edu |
| Otis College of Art and Design |
Bachelor's
|
24 | Los Angeles, California | Private | otis.edu |
| Syracuse University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
21 | Syracuse, New York | Private | syracuse.edu |
| University of Central Florida (UCF) |
Master's
|
18 | Orlando, Florida | Public | ucf.edu |
| Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (PCAD) |
Associate's
Bachelor's
|
18 | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | Private | pcad.edu |
| College for Creative Studies (CCS) |
Master's
|
14 | Detroit, Michigan | Private | collegeforcreativestudies.edu |
| Lesley University |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | lesley.edu |
| Tennessee Technological University (TTU) |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Cookeville, Tennessee | Public | tntech.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Bachelor's
|
12 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | psu.edu |
| Southern Methodist University (SMU) |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Dallas, Texas | Private | smu.edu |
| Washington University in St Louis (WashU) |
Master's
|
11 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | wustl.edu |
| Saint Edward's University |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Austin, Texas | Private | stedwards.edu |
| Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
9 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | iit.edu |
| Butler University |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Private | butler.edu |
| Vincennes University (VU) |
Associate's
|
9 | Vincennes, Indiana | Public | vinu.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
9 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | twin-cities.umn.edu |
| Auburn University (AU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
8 | Auburn, Alabama | Public | auburn.edu |
| Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) |
Master's
|
8 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Private | mcad.edu |
| Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) |
Master's
|
8 | Portland, Oregon | Private | willamette.edu |
| San Francisco State University (SFSU) |
Master's
|
7 | San Francisco, California | Public | sfsu.edu |
| University of Baltimore (UBalt) |
Master's
|
7 | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | ubalt.edu |
| Winthrop University |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Rock Hill, South Carolina | Public | winthrop.edu |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) |
Master's
|
6 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | saic.edu |
| Marymount Manhattan College (MMC) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | New York, New York | Private | mmm.edu |
| Allegheny College |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Meadville, Pennsylvania | Private | allegheny.edu |
| Marymount University |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Arlington, Virginia | Private | marymount.edu |
| The College of Idaho (C of I) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Caldwell, Idaho | Private | collegeofidaho.edu |
| Washburn University (WU) |
Associate's
|
4 | Topeka, Kansas | Public | washburn.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMBC) |
Master's
|
4 | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | umbc.edu |
| Ferris State University (FSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
4 | Big Rapids, Michigan | Public | ferris.edu |
| Hiram College |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Hiram, Ohio | Private | hiram.edu |
| Lakeland Community College (LCC) |
Associate's
|
4 | Kirtland, Ohio | Public | lakelandcc.edu |
| Otterbein University |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Westerville, Ohio | Private | otterbein.edu |
| McMurry University (McM) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Abilene, Texas | Private | mcm.edu |
| Purdue University (PU) |
Master's
|
4 | West Lafayette, Indiana | Public | purdue.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Master's
|
4 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | worldcampus.psu.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
3 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| Delaware State University (DSU) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Dover, Delaware | Public | desu.edu |
| University of Michigan |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Flint, Michigan | Public | umflint.edu |
| University of Cincinnati |
Other Award
|
3 | Blue Ash, Ohio | Public | ucblueash.edu |
| Ursuline College |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Pepper Pike, Ohio | Private | ursuline.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Stout |
Master's
|
3 | Menomonie, Wisconsin | Public | uwstout.edu |
| Hampshire College |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Amherst, Massachusetts | Private | hampshire.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Altoona, Pennsylvania | Public | altoona.psu.edu |
| University of Utah (U of U) |
Other Award
|
2 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Public | utah.edu |
| Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Marion, Indiana | Private | indwes.edu |
| Harvard University |
Master's
|
1 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | harvard.edu |
| Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) |
Postbac Cert.
|
1 | Boston, Massachusetts | Public | massart.edu |
| Siena Heights University (SHU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Adrian, Michigan | Private | sienaheights.edu |
| Fort Peck Community College (FPCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
|
1 | Poplar, Montana | Public | fpcc.edu |
| Guilford College |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Greensboro, North Carolina | Private | guilford.edu |
| Bowling Green State University (BGSU) |
Master's
|
1 | Bowling Green, Ohio | Public | bgsu.edu |
| The University of Findlay (UF) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Findlay, Ohio | Private | findlay.edu |
| Thomas Jefferson University |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | jefferson.edu |
| American Public University System (APUS) |
Postbac Cert.
|
1 | Charles Town, West Virginia | Private | apus.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Applied Arts and Design programs
Which universities have the largest Applied Arts and Design programs?
Currently 72 accredited institutions offer Applied Arts and Design degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Full Sail University (334 graduates), San Jose State University (SJSU) (162 graduates), and Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) (132 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Applied Arts and Design growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 1,436 in 2010 to 1,640 in 2023-24. This represents a 14% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
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