Best Art & Design Colleges in Minnesota (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 18 Art & Design programs in Minnesota by median earnings of Art & Design graduates four years after completing, highest first. Bemidji State University leads the list with median earnings of $54,642 four years after completing.
Across the 14 schools with a published figure, earnings range from $54,642 to $21,052, with a median of $42,042. For 6 of the 18 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list is evenly split between 9 public and 9 private institutions. University of Minnesota-Twin Cities ranks 107th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, while University of Minnesota-Morris posts the lowest average net price at $8,837.
Carleton College reports the highest six-year completion rate on the page, graduating 90% of its students within six years.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Art & Design Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bemidji State University · Bemidji, MN | $54,642 | $15,261 | $10,073 | 56.0% |
| Bemidji State University reports median earnings of $54,642 for its Art & Design graduates four years after completing, the highest figure on this list. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Design and Applied Arts (17 graduates), Music (8 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Design and Applied Arts ($54,642) | |||||
| 2 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities · Minneapolis, MN | $51,353 | $16,778 | $6,642 | 79.8% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 85%, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities ranks 2nd on this page and holds the strongest Azimuth composite rank in the group at 107th among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Design and Applied Arts (123 graduates), Fine and Studio Arts (94 graduates), Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (51 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Design and Applied Arts ($62,414), Film/Video and Photographic Arts ($47,707), Fine and Studio Arts ($44,850) | |||||
| 3 | Winona State University · Winona, MN | $48,258 | $17,503 | $10,224 | 75.5% |
| Winona State University admits 75% of applicants and posts median earnings of $48,258 for its Art & Design graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Fine and Studio Arts (17 graduates) | |||||
| 4 | University of Minnesota-Duluth · Duluth, MN | No published median | $18,743 | $7,256 | 88.8% |
| University of Minnesota-Duluth ranks 4th on this list and shows an average net price of $7,256 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Design and Applied Arts (40 graduates), Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (23 graduates), Music (16 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Design and Applied Arts ($52,727), Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft ($42,438) | |||||
| 5 | St Olaf College · Northfield, MN | $43,521 | $23,874 | $10,404 | 48.3% |
| A private nonprofit institution in Northfield, St Olaf College reports median earnings of $43,521 for its Art & Design graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Music (47 graduates), Fine and Studio Arts (39 graduates), Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (14 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Fine and Studio Arts ($44,287), Music ($42,439) | |||||
| 6 | University of Minnesota-Morris · Morris, MN | $43,305 | $8,837 | $1,694 | 74.9% |
| University of Minnesota-Morris carries the lowest average net price on the page at $8,837 and graduates 62% of its students within six years. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Fine and Studio Arts (8 graduates) | |||||
| 7 | Saint Cloud State University · Saint Cloud, MN | $43,001 | $13,529 | $8,909 | 94.8% |
| Saint Cloud State University admits 95% of applicants, the most open admission rate on the list, and its Art & Design graduates earn a median of $43,001 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Design and Applied Arts (13 graduates), Film/Video and Photographic Arts (10 graduates), Fine and Studio Arts (8 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Fine and Studio Arts ($47,619), Film/Video and Photographic Arts ($35,421) | |||||
| 8 | Minnesota State University Moorhead · Moorhead, MN | $42,160 | $17,997 | $11,129 | 58.8% |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead reports a six-year completion rate of 57% and median earnings of $42,160 for its Art & Design graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Design and Applied Arts (24 graduates), Film/Video and Photographic Arts (24 graduates), Fine and Studio Arts (23 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Design and Applied Arts ($48,976), Fine and Studio Arts ($40,960) | |||||
| 9 | Minnesota State University-Mankato · Mankato, MN | $41,923 | $19,139 | $12,339 | 88.4% |
| Graduating 54% of its students within six years, Minnesota State University-Mankato ranks 452nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Fine and Studio Arts (37 graduates), Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (20 graduates), Film/Video and Photographic Arts (7 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Fine and Studio Arts ($47,822), Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft ($32,199) | |||||
| 10 | University of Northwestern-St Paul · Saint Paul, MN | No published median | $27,705 | $26,696 | 93.5% |
| University of Northwestern-St Paul admits 93% of applicants and reports an average net price of $26,696 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Music (15 graduates), Design and Applied Arts (8 graduates), Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (6 graduates) | |||||
| 11 | Minneapolis College of Art and Design · Minneapolis, MN | No published median | $29,926 | $23,662 | 48.5% |
| Minneapolis College of Art and Design ranks 1389th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and graduates 51% of its students within six years. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Design and Applied Arts (54 graduates), Fine and Studio Arts (21 graduates), Film/Video and Photographic Arts (11 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Design and Applied Arts ($39,467), Fine and Studio Arts ($32,667) | |||||
| 12 | Concordia College at Moorhead · Moorhead, MN | $30,047 | $24,902 | $20,950 | 62.7% |
| Concordia College at Moorhead reports median earnings of $30,047 for its Art & Design graduates two years after completing and an admission rate of 63%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Fine and Studio Arts (12 graduates) | |||||
| 13 | Gustavus Adolphus College · Saint Peter, MN | No published median | $22,900 | $12,015 | 61.0% |
| Gustavus Adolphus College reports a six-year completion rate of 77% and an average net price of $12,015 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Fine and Studio Arts (17 graduates), Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (10 graduates), Music (6 graduates) | |||||
| 14 | Southwest Minnesota State University · Marshall, MN | $26,896 | $15,291 | $10,559 | 62.2% |
| Southwest Minnesota State University posts median earnings of $26,896 for its Art & Design graduates two years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 62%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Fine and Studio Arts (5 graduates) | |||||
| 15 | Hamline University · Saint Paul, MN | $24,035 | $20,744 | $15,371 | 87.6% |
| Hamline University ranks 15th on this list and reports an average net price of $20,744. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Visual and Performing Arts, General (12 graduates), Fine and Studio Arts (5 graduates), Music (5 graduates) | |||||
| 16 | Concordia University-Saint Paul · Saint Paul, MN | $23,351 | $18,462 | $16,406 | 78.9% |
| Concordia University-Saint Paul graduates 46% of its students within six years and shows median earnings of $23,351 for its Art & Design graduates two years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Design and Applied Arts (11 graduates) | |||||
| 17 | Carleton College · Northfield, MN | $21,964 | $25,407 | $7,881 | 20.4% |
| Carleton College admits 20% of applicants and reports an average net price of $7,881 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Film/Video and Photographic Arts (18 graduates), Fine and Studio Arts (15 graduates), Music (9 graduates) | |||||
| 18 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota · Winona, MN | $21,052 | $11,704 | $16,182 | 92.8% |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota ranks 18th on this list with median earnings of $21,052 for its Art & Design graduates two years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (13 graduates) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Art & Design graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported Art & Design earnings cohort in Minnesota appear. The figures are medians for federally aided completers of Art & Design programs who were working and not enrolled after completing. For 6 of the 18 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 range and median below cover the 14 schools with a published figure. Bemidji State University and University of Minnesota-Twin Cities are separated by $3,289.