Best Art & Design Colleges in Alabama (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 13 Art & Design programs in Alabama by median earnings of Art & Design graduates four years after completing, highest first. Auburn University leads the list with median earnings of $55,658 for its graduates after completing.
Across the 11 schools with a reported completion median, earnings range from $55,658 to $29,142, with a median of $40,502. For 1 of the 13 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list is overwhelmingly public: 92% of the schools are public institutions, with 1 private nonprofit program. University of North Alabama posts the lowest average net price at $12,170, while The University of Alabama ranks 233rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Art & Design Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auburn University · Auburn, AL | $55,658 | $24,323 | $16,681 | 45.9% |
| Auburn University reports $55,658 in median earnings of Art & Design graduates four years after completing and a six-year completion rate of 82%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Design and Applied Arts (138 graduates), Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (22 graduates), Music (16 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Design and Applied Arts ($61,609) | |||||
| 2 | Jacksonville State University · Jacksonville, AL | $45,467 | $14,279 | $12,472 | 77.7% |
| Jacksonville State University admits 78% of applicants and carries an average net price of $14,279. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Music (45 graduates), Fine and Studio Arts (25 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Music ($47,582), Fine and Studio Arts ($41,659) | |||||
| 3 | University of North Alabama · Florence, AL | $44,559 | $12,170 | $9,741 | 87.3% |
| With an average net price of $12,170, University of North Alabama ranks 3rd on this list. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management (41 graduates), Fine and Studio Arts (21 graduates), Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (18 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management ($48,020), Music ($41,734) | |||||
| 4 | University of Alabama in Huntsville · Huntsville, AL | $43,321 | $18,796 | $16,192 | 68.6% |
| University of Alabama in Huntsville posts a six-year completion rate of 64% and median earnings of $43,321 for its Art & Design graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Fine and Studio Arts (66 graduates), Music (16 graduates), Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (7 graduates) | |||||
| 5 | The University of Alabama · Tuscaloosa, AL | $42,453 | $22,420 | $19,169 | 76.7% |
| The University of Alabama ranks 233rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and admits 77% of applicants. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Fine and Studio Arts (44 graduates), Music (41 graduates), Dance (40 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Design and Applied Arts ($60,546), Fine and Studio Arts ($41,100) | |||||
| 6 | University of Alabama at Birmingham · Birmingham, AL | $41,023 | $18,749 | $16,172 | 88.2% |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham reports $41,023 in median earnings of Art & Design graduates four years after completing, above the list median of $40,502. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Fine and Studio Arts (38 graduates), Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (23 graduates), Music (11 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Fine and Studio Arts ($43,138) | |||||
| 7 | Athens State University · Athens, AL | $40,502 | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| Athens State University ranks 491st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $40,502 for its Art & Design graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Fine and Studio Arts (16 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Fine and Studio Arts ($40,502) | |||||
| 8 | University of Montevallo · Montevallo, AL | $38,917 | $17,683 | $14,471 | 53.9% |
| University of Montevallo carries an average net price of $17,683 and a six-year completion rate of 54%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Fine and Studio Arts (40 graduates), Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (21 graduates), Music (12 graduates) | |||||
| 9 | Troy University · Troy, AL | $37,264 | $16,527 | $12,656 | 96.0% |
| Troy University admits 96% of applicants and reports median earnings of $37,264 for its Art & Design graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Music (32 graduates), Fine and Studio Arts (26 graduates), Dance (10 graduates) | |||||
| 10 | Samford University · Birmingham, AL | $33,993 | $32,622 | $22,716 | 82.4% |
| A private nonprofit university in Birmingham, Samford University reports median earnings of $33,993 for its Art & Design graduates two years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Design and Applied Arts (26 graduates), Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (20 graduates), Music (7 graduates) | |||||
| 11 | Auburn University at Montgomery · Montgomery, AL | $31,804 | $13,224 | $11,706 | 91.6% |
| Auburn University at Montgomery posts a six-year completion rate of 33% and an average net price of $13,224. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Fine and Studio Arts (21 graduates) | |||||
| 12 | University of South Alabama · Mobile, AL | $31,743 | $17,648 | $12,657 | 71.0% |
| University of South Alabama ranks 329th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and admits 71% of applicants. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Fine and Studio Arts (37 graduates), Music (15 graduates) | |||||
| 13 | Alabama State University · Montgomery, AL | $29,142 | $20,435 | $19,711 | 97.6% |
| Alabama State University ranks 13th on this list, reporting median earnings of $29,142 for its Art & Design graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Music (15 graduates), Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (6 graduates), Fine and Studio Arts (5 graduates) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Art & Design graduates four years after completing, or two years for programs that report only a two-year figure, highest first. The figure is the median earnings of federally aided Art & Design completers who were working and not enrolled, measured after completing. For 1 of the 13 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The figures cited on this page cover the 11 schools with a reported completion median. Auburn University reports $55,658, a gap of $10,191 above Jacksonville State University at $45,467.