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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #81 | Stevenson UniversityPrivate | Owings Mills, MD | $43,101 Median Art & Design Earnings | $18,681 | 83.2% | 66.4% |
| #82 | Hays, KS | $43,029 Median Art & Design Earnings | $9,964 | 91.8% | 47.9% | |
| #83 | University Of San FranciscoPrivate | San Francisco, CA | $42,969 Median Art & Design Earnings | $31,741 | 50.8% | 71.1% |
| #84 | Milwaukee, WI | $42,952 Median Art & Design Earnings | $23,183 | 62.8% | 63.3% | |
| #85 | New Haven, CT | $42,897 Median Art & Design Earnings | $18,568 | 81.1% | 47.8% | |
| #86 | Capital UniversityPrivate | Columbus, OH | $42,856 Median Art & Design Earnings | $20,774 | 73.2% | 65.5% |
| #87 | Binghamton UniversityPublic | Vestal, NY | $42,815 Median Art & Design Earnings | $12,916 | 37.7% | 83.7% |
| #88 | Commerce, TX | $42,660 Median Art & Design Earnings | $8,709 | 92.6% | 45.9% | |
| #89 | Texas State UniversityPublic | San Marcos, TX | $42,602 Median Art & Design Earnings | $12,144 | 89.5% | 56.2% |
| #90 | Brookings, SD | $42,522 Median Art & Design Earnings | $12,517 | 98.7% | 59.6% | |
| #91 | University Of DelawarePublic | Newark, DE | $42,456 Median Art & Design Earnings | $9,354 | 65.1% | 78.8% |
| #92 | Loyola Marymount UniversityPrivate | Los Angeles, CA | $42,428 Median Art & Design Earnings | $30,208 | 40.3% | 79.8% |
| #93 | College Park, MD | $42,330 Median Art & Design Earnings | $3,603 | 44.8% | 88.6% | |
| #94 | Cedarville UniversityPrivate | Cedarville, OH | $42,298 Median Art & Design Earnings | $20,956 | 62.8% | 74.3% |
| #95 | Texas Tech UniversityPublic | Lubbock, TX | $42,249 Median Art & Design Earnings | $13,922 | 70.9% | 67.5% |
| #96 | Kearney, NE | $42,229 Median Art & Design Earnings | $13,187 | 85.8% | 59.8% | |
| #97 | West Chester, PA | $42,198 Median Art & Design Earnings | $16,800 | 79.2% | 69.8% | |
| #98 | Chapel Hill, NC | $42,196 Median Art & Design Earnings | $3,165 | 18.7% | 92.1% | |
| #99 | James Madison UniversityPublic | Harrisonburg, VA | $42,180 Median Art & Design Earnings | $10,582 | 76.3% | 80.9% |
| #100 | Seattle UniversityPrivate | Seattle, WA | $42,115 Median Art & Design Earnings | $23,374 | 76.0% | 73.3% |
