Best Design and Applied Arts Programs in Washington (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Art & Design Colleges in Washington
This page ranks the 6 Design and Applied Arts programs in Washington by the median earnings of Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing. University of Washington-Seattle Campus leads the list with median earnings of $89,193 four years after completing, a figure that is $19,478 above the second-ranked program.
Across the listed schools, median earnings range from $89,193 to $53,117, with a median of $68,886.
The list is evenly split between 3 public and 3 private institutions. University of Washington-Seattle Campus holds the strongest Azimuth composite rank in the group, placing 72nd among nonprofit four-year institutions.
University of Washington-Seattle Campus reports the lowest average net price on the page at $14,091, and Western Washington University posts the highest admission rate, admitting 93% of applicants.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Seattle, WA | $89,193 | $14,091 | $6,384 | 39.2% |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus reports $89,193 in median earnings of Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $14,091. | |||||
| 2 | Western Washington University · Bellingham, WA | $69,715 | $21,193 | $12,915 | 93.3% |
| Western Washington University admits 93% of applicants, and median federal debt among Design and Applied Arts completers who borrowed is $19,833. | |||||
| 3 | Washington State University · Pullman, WA | $69,224 | $14,971 | $7,074 | 86.6% |
| Washington State University ranks 129th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with median earnings of $69,224 for its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Seattle Pacific University · Seattle, WA | $68,547 | $24,488 | $20,735 | 83.4% |
| A private nonprofit university in Seattle, Seattle Pacific University shows an average net price of $20,735 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 5 | Walla Walla University · College Place, WA | $54,035 | $23,329 | $18,675 | Not reported |
| Walla Walla University ranks 5th on this list, and its Design and Applied Arts completers who borrowed carried a median federal debt of $27,000. | |||||
| 6 | Seattle University · Seattle, WA | $53,117 | $34,662 | $22,896 | 76.9% |
| Seattle University posts median earnings of $53,117 for its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 77%. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Illustration graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in Washington appear. The figure covers federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing the program. It 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 6 schools with a published figure. The gap between first-ranked University of Washington-Seattle Campus and second-ranked Western Washington University is $19,478, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom is $36,076.
Related rankings
- Best Colleges in Washington
- Best Art & Design Colleges in Washington
- Art & Design Colleges in Washington for Social Mobility