by our College Data Analytics Team
[Design And Applied Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The highest-paying schools turn a design and applied arts degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
College Factual analyzed 28 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying design and applied arts schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send design and applied arts graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Leading the list is Stonehill College, our #1 for design and applied arts graduate salaries in the New England Region. Located in the suburb of Easton, Stonehill College is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $71,309.
A rank of #2 makes Northeastern University one of the highest-paying schools for design and applied arts. Set in the city of Boston, Northeastern University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career design and applied arts graduates from Northeastern University make a median of around $95,088 per year.
Wentworth Institute Of Technology came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying design and applied arts schools. Wentworth Institute Of Technology is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston. Design And Applied Arts graduates of Wentworth Institute Of Technology earn a median of about $67,547 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #4 makes Suffolk University one of the highest-paying schools for design and applied arts. Suffolk University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from Suffolk University typically earn about $62,088 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at Endicott College earned it the #5 place for design and applied arts. Located in the suburb of Beverly, Endicott College is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career design and applied arts graduates from Endicott College make a median of around $65,413 per year.
Boston University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying design and applied arts schools. Located in the city of Boston, Boston University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $49,254.
Rhode Island School Of Design landed the #7 spot for design and applied arts salaries this year. Rhode Island School Of Design is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Providence. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $70,602.
Champlain College placed #8 among the highest-paying schools for design and applied arts. Located in the city of Burlington, Champlain College is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from Champlain College typically earn about $51,815 annually.
Keene State College ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying design and applied arts schools. Located in the town of Keene, Keene State College is a public institution. Early-career design and applied arts graduates from Keene State College make a median of around $54,022 per year.
New England College earned the #10 position for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Set in the rural area of Henniker, New England College is a private not-for-profit institution. Design And Applied Arts graduates of New England College earn a median of about $42,323 a year early in their careers.
Central Connecticut State University placed #11 among the highest-paying schools for design and applied arts. Located in the suburb of New Britain, Central Connecticut State University is a public institution. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $53,222.
Southern New Hampshire University ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying design and applied arts schools. Southern New Hampshire University is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Manchester. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from Southern New Hampshire University typically earn about $49,885 annually.
University Of Massachusetts Lowell came in at #13 for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Set in the suburb of Lowell, University Of Massachusetts Lowell is a public institution. Early-career design and applied arts graduates from University Of Massachusetts Lowell make a median of around $41,020 per year.
New England Institute Of Technology placed #14 among the highest-paying schools for design and applied arts. Set in the suburb of East Greenwich, New England Institute Of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution. Design And Applied Arts graduates of New England Institute Of Technology earn a median of about $46,923 a year early in their careers.
Massachusetts College Of Art And Design earned the #15 position for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Boston, Massachusetts College Of Art And Design is a public institution. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $55,560.
University Of Bridgeport came in at #16 for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. University Of Bridgeport is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Bridgeport. Early-career design and applied arts graduates from University Of Bridgeport make a median of around $47,145 per year.
University Of Massachusetts Dartmouth earned the #17 position for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Set in the suburb of North Dartmouth, University Of Massachusetts Dartmouth is a public institution. Early-career design and applied arts graduates from University Of Massachusetts Dartmouth make a median of around $49,179 per year.
Capital Community College landed the #18 spot for design and applied arts salaries this year. Located in the city of New Britain, Capital Community College is a public institution. Early-career design and applied arts graduates from Capital Community College make a median of around $29,626 per year.
Quinnipiac University landed the #19 spot for design and applied arts salaries this year. Quinnipiac University is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Hamden. Design And Applied Arts graduates of Quinnipiac University earn a median of about $35,884 a year early in their careers.
Lesley University ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying design and applied arts schools. Lesley University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cambridge. Design And Applied Arts graduates of Lesley University earn a median of about $51,256 a year early in their careers.
University Of Hartford ranked #21 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying design and applied arts schools. Set in the city of West Hartford, University Of Hartford is a private not-for-profit institution. Design And Applied Arts graduates of University Of Hartford earn a median of about $44,307 a year early in their careers.
Lasell College came in at #22 for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Lasell College is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Newton. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from Lasell College typically earn about $43,722 annually.
Emmanuel College Massachusetts earned the #23 position for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Emmanuel College Massachusetts is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from Emmanuel College Massachusetts typically earn about $32,413 annually.
Maine College Of Art earned the #24 position for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Portland, Maine College Of Art is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $37,416.
Fitchburg State University earned the #25 position for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Fitchburg, Fitchburg State University is a public institution. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $29,191.
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s highest-paid design and applied arts ranking:
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries design and applied arts graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 28 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.