Art and Design programs produce graduates with career earnings ranging from $24,505 to $114,862, demonstrating significant variation across 521 ranked programs. With median earnings of $59,526—$3,709 higher than the national average—these creative careers offer stronger financial prospects than commonly perceived, though program selection remains critical for maximizing outcomes.
Leading the list is Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus, achieving the highest program earnings at $74,666. Williams College follows at $72,010, while Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute rounds out the top three at $71,567, demonstrating how design programs at technical institutions consistently deliver superior graduate outcomes in competitive creative markets.
| Rank | School | Location | Earnings | Net Price | Acceptance Rate | Grad Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #21 | Wake Forest UniversityPrivate | Winston-Salem, NC | $52,622 Median Art & Design Earnings | $11,554 | 21.6% | 90.9% |
| #22 | Drexel UniversityPrivate | Philadelphia, PA | $52,478 Median Art & Design Earnings | $27,737 | 77.5% | 77.1% |
| #23 | Carnegie Mellon UniversityPrivate | Pittsburgh, PA | $52,373 Median Art & Design Earnings | $8,460 | 11.4% | 92.5% |
| #24 | Grand View UniversityPrivate | Des Moines, IA | $51,741 Median Art & Design Earnings | $19,216 | 98.4% | 55.8% |
| #25 | Marymount UniversityPrivate | Arlington, VA | $51,014 Median Art & Design Earnings | $21,888 | 80.5% | 57.9% |
| #26 | College For Creative StudiesPrivate | Detroit, MI | $50,626 Median Art & Design Earnings | $29,648 | 92.8% | 69.6% |
| #27 | Pratt Institute-MainPrivate | Brooklyn, NY | $50,036 Median Art & Design Earnings | $43,939 | 53.2% | 72.7% |
| #28 | Houghton, MI | $49,683 Median Art & Design Earnings | $5,021 | 87.9% | 68.7% | |
| #29 | Iowa State UniversityPublic | Ames, IA | $49,449 Median Art & Design Earnings | $11,734 | 89.1% | 75.5% |
| #30 | University Of RedlandsPrivate | Redlands, CA | $49,156 Median Art & Design Earnings | $21,520 | 80.9% | 70.7% |
| #31 | San Francisco, CA | $49,031 Median Art & Design Earnings | $32,800 | 73.4% | 58.7% | |
| #32 | Newark, NJ | $48,950 Median Art & Design Earnings | $11,534 | 66.9% | 73.1% | |
| #33 | New York, NY | $48,780 Median Art & Design Earnings | $745 | 50.5% | 72.1% | |
| #34 | Houston, TX | $48,711 Median Art & Design Earnings | $7,818 | 75.3% | 50.8% | |
| #35 | Davis, CA | $48,528 Median Art & Design Earnings | $8,594 | 41.6% | 85.1% | |
| #36 | Los Angeles, CA | $48,518 Median Art & Design Earnings | $40,358 | 84.0% | 60.6% | |
| #37 | Ewing, NJ | $48,408 Median Art & Design Earnings | $12,814 | 62.1% | 85.2% | |
| #38 | Blacksburg, VA | $48,135 Median Art & Design Earnings | $13,536 | 57.0% | 86.3% | |
| #39 | Hayward, CA | $48,049 Median Art & Design Earnings | $8,059 | 96.8% | 45.5% | |
| #40 | San Diego, CA | $47,770 Median Art & Design Earnings | $44,837 | 81.8% | 73.8% |
