Best Art and Design colleges in the U.S.
Why a degree in arts and design?
Art & Design is tough. Really tough. It is a constant competition to design something better. It is "thinking outside the box" so many times you've decided to forget the box altogether. Not to mention you will become a master at thriving with little to no sleep and develop thick skin from enduring brutal critiques.
How to prepare for an arts and design degrees
So, why put yourself through this? Passion. When you put everything into a project and it’s ripped apart, you get more coffee, improve the design, and come back with an even greater masterpiece.
But if passion alone isn’t enough, how about this. Median salaries for the top 10 design careers surpassed $50,000*. Art & design jobs are also expected to increase by 7% over the next eight years*. With higher salaries than most majors and plenty of career avenues, art & design graduates are cashing in on their passions. Graduating from an art & design program is a difficult and competitive feat. But if you can do it, you will create a growing career where your computer battery is your only limit.
*PayScale Salary Survey data*Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Best Art and Design colleges in the U.S. for 2026
Since 1965, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts has been educating artists and scholars alike on cinema studies, television, dance, drama, photography and more. NYU undoubtedly attracts talented student artists from around the world. The learning opportunities that Tisch provides to budding artists goes beyond New York City. In addition to the school’s six New York City locations—including 721 Broadway, 111 Second Avenue, and 194 Mercer—Tisch has expanded its reach around the globe. In 2007, Tisch School of the Arts Asia opened in Singapore with an inaugural film master’s degree program. Since that time, Tisch Asia has added animation and digital arts, dramatic writing, and international media producing programs. In addition, through the NYU Global Network, students in London, Prague, and Shanghai can enroll in Tisch courses. In 2012, Tisch opened the NYU Game Center to give students interested in becoming game developers, designers, and even critics, the education they need to reach their career goals. Through its bachelor’s and master’s game design program, the Center teaches students how to integrate animation, writing, and audio to create games that can be used for education or entertainment. In addition, NYU hosts the Game Center Student Show, where students show off the projects they created during their studies. Some exhibited projects include 3D animations, multiplayer games, surrealist game art, and card and board games.
The New School offers 53 Art and Design degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2024, 1,285 Art and Design students graduated with students earning 897 Bachelor's degrees, 274 Master's degrees, 81 Associate's degrees, and 33 Certificates.
New York Film Academy offers 29 Art and Design degree programs. It's a small, private for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2024, 644 Art and Design students graduated with students earning 254 Certificates, 219 Bachelor's degrees, 146 Master's degrees, and 25 Associate's degrees.
Whoever came up with the saying “location, location, location” must have been talking about USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. Situated in the heart of Los Angeles, the university is near the corporate offices and production facilities of major motion picture, television, and interactive companies. This proximity helps to connect you to awesome internships and allows industry notables to drop in on classes. The school also is notorious for its help-a-fellow-Trojan mindset, allowing students remarkable access to alumni working in the area. Brian Grazer, George Lucas, Robert Zemeckis, Judd Apatow, and Will Ferrell are just a few of the well-known graduates. Though it has the distinction of being the oldest film school in the nation (it was founded in 1929 in collaboration with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences), USC’s School of Cinematic Arts is a mecca of state-of-the-art facilities that support the philosophy that people learn best by doing. Undergraduate programs include animation and digital arts, interactive entertainment, media arts and practice, writing for screen and television, film and television production, and critical studies. The school also awards a variety of master’s degrees and doctorates.
Berklee College of Music offers 26 Art and Design degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2024, 1,306 Art and Design students graduated with students earning 1,066 Bachelor's degrees, 197 Master's degrees, and 43 Certificates.
Academy of Art University offers 61 Art and Design degree programs. It's a medium sized, private for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2024, 267 Art and Design students graduated with students earning 138 Bachelor's degrees, 106 Master's degrees, and 23 Associate's degrees.
Northwestern University offers 55 Art and Design degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2024, 469 Art and Design students graduated with students earning 238 Master's degrees, 208 Bachelor's degrees, and 23 Doctoral degrees.
Fashion Institute of Technology offers 22 Art and Design degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2024, 1,307 Art and Design students graduated with students earning 783 Associate's degrees, 502 Bachelor's degrees, 19 Master's degrees, and 3 Certificates.
Columbia College Chicago offers 43 Art and Design degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2024, 906 Art and Design students graduated with students earning 826 Bachelor's degrees, 75 Master's degrees, and 5 Certificates.
University of Washington-Seattle Campus offers 72 Art and Design degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2024, 186 Art and Design students graduated with students earning 148 Bachelor's degrees, 23 Master's degrees, and 15 Doctoral degrees.
Find local colleges with Art and Design majors in the U.S.
Top schools offering Art and Design degrees in the U.S.
List of all Art and Design colleges in the U.S.
| School | Average Tuition | Student Teacher Ratio | Enrolled Students | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New York University New York, NY | 18 : 1 | 56,832 | |
|
New York Film Academy Burbank, CA | 6 : 1 | 1,132 | |
|
The New School New York, NY | 21 : 1 | 9,068 | |
|
University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | 21 : 1 | 46,566 | |
|
Berklee College of Music Boston, MA | 21 : 1 | 8,369 | |