Best Design and Applied Arts Programs in Texas (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Art & Design Colleges in Texas
This page ranks the 16 Design and Applied Arts programs in Texas by the median earnings of Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing, highest first. The University of Texas at Austin leads the list with median earnings of $69,846 four years after completing, followed by Texas Christian University at $68,313 and University of Houston at $64,612.
Across the listed schools, the median figure is $55,658, with a spread of $51,531 from $69,846 to $18,315. For 4 of the 16 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list includes 10 public and 6 private nonprofit institutions. The University of Texas at Austin ranks 9th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the strongest showing on the page.
Lamar University posts the lowest average net price at $9,366, while West Texas A & M University reports the highest admission rate, admitting 99% of applicants.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, TX | $69,846 | $19,857 | $12,553 | 26.6% |
| The University of Texas at Austin reports $69,846 in median earnings for its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing, and ranks 9th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 2 | Texas Christian University · Fort Worth, TX | $68,313 | $36,660 | $17,956 | 44.5% |
| A private nonprofit university in Fort Worth, Texas Christian University shows an admission rate of 44% and median earnings of $68,313 for its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | University of Houston · Houston, TX | $64,612 | $14,276 | $10,929 | 73.9% |
| University of Houston posts median earnings of $64,612 for its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $14,276. | |||||
| 4 | Baylor University · Waco, TX | $63,522 | $41,104 | $22,024 | 51.3% |
| Baylor University carries a median federal debt of $25,750 among Design and Applied Arts completers who borrowed, and its graduates four years after completing earn a median of $63,522. | |||||
| 5 | East Texas A&M University · Commerce, TX | $61,748 | $11,841 | $9,709 | 92.2% |
| East Texas A&M University reports median earnings of $61,748 for its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $9,709 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 6 | Texas State University · San Marcos, TX | $61,539 | $16,805 | $12,715 | 89.3% |
| With 103 graduates in the earnings cohort, Texas State University reports median earnings of $61,539 for its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | University of North Texas · Denton, TX | $57,753 | $15,649 | $12,311 | 72.2% |
| University of North Texas admits 72% of applicants and reports median earnings of $57,753 for its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | Sam Houston State University · Huntsville, TX | $57,019 | $16,404 | $12,474 | 90.3% |
| Sam Houston State University shows a median federal debt of $29,000 among Design and Applied Arts completers who borrowed, and its graduates four years after completing earn a median of $57,019. | |||||
| 9 | Saint Edward's University · Austin, TX | $54,297 | $25,578 | $20,799 | 81.4% |
| Saint Edward's University reports median earnings of $54,297 for its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $20,799 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 10 | Abilene Christian University · Abilene, TX | $49,818 | $26,182 | $20,285 | 66.0% |
| Abilene Christian University ranks 1153rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing earn a median of $49,818. | |||||
| 11 | University of the Incarnate Word · San Antonio, TX | $48,472 | $22,775 | $19,260 | 98.1% |
| University of the Incarnate Word carries an admission rate of 98% and reports median earnings of $48,472 for its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 12 | Lamar University · Beaumont, TX | $46,341 | $9,366 | $7,568 | 86.4% |
| Lamar University posts the lowest average net price on the list at $9,366, and its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing earn a median of $46,341. | |||||
| 13 | Southern Methodist University · Dallas, TX | $42,728 | $40,892 | $23,544 | 63.4% |
| Southern Methodist University, a private nonprofit university in Dallas, reports median earnings of $42,728 for its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing, with 12 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 14 | Texas Tech University · Lubbock, TX | $36,134 | $19,070 | $12,457 | 72.7% |
| Texas Tech University admits 73% of applicants and posts an average net price of $19,070, while its Design and Applied Arts graduates earn a median of $36,134 four years after completing. | |||||
| 15 | Texas Woman's University · Denton, TX | $33,459 | $11,963 | $9,948 | 96.1% |
| With an average net price of $9,948 for families earning under $30,000, Texas Woman's University ranks 118th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 16 | West Texas A & M University · Canyon, TX | $18,315 | $19,487 | $16,525 | 98.7% |
| West Texas A & M University ranks 16th on this list and reports median earnings of $18,315 for its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 99%. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in Texas appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 4 of the 16 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 gap between The University of Texas at Austin and Texas Christian University is $1,533, while the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $51,531.