by our College Data Analytics Team
[Design And Applied Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. The highest-paying schools turn a design and applied arts degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
College Factual analyzed 13 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.
Our analysis ranked University Of Florida the top school for design and applied arts graduate earnings in Florida. Set in the city of Gainesville, University Of Florida is a public institution. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from University Of Florida typically earn about $73,474 annually.
Florida State University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in design and applied arts, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Tallahassee, Florida State University is a public institution. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $57,155.
Students chasing top earnings in design and applied arts will find them at Miami Ad School Wynwood, which ranked #3. Miami Ad School Wynwood is a private for-profit school located in the city of Miami. Early-career design and applied arts graduates from Miami Ad School Wynwood make a median of around $72,830 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at Palm Beach State College earned it the #4 place for design and applied arts. Palm Beach State College is a public school located in the suburb of Lake Worth. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from Palm Beach State College typically earn about $36,768 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in design and applied arts will find them at University Of South Florida Main Campus, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Tampa, University Of South Florida Main Campus is a public institution. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $54,896.
Flagler College St Augustine earned the #6 position for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Flagler College St Augustine is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Saint Augustine. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from Flagler College St Augustine typically earn about $48,705 annually.
Seminole State College Of Florida earned the #7 position for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Sanford, Seminole State College Of Florida is a public institution. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from Seminole State College Of Florida typically earn about $36,678 annually.
Rasmussen College Florida landed the #8 spot for design and applied arts salaries this year. Located in the city of Ocala, Rasmussen College Florida is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $32,337.
Miami Dade College came in at #9 for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Miami, Miami Dade College is a public institution. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $30,466.
Ringling College Of Art And Design landed the #10 spot for design and applied arts salaries this year. Set in the city of Sarasota, Ringling College Of Art And Design is a private not-for-profit institution. Design And Applied Arts graduates of Ringling College Of Art And Design earn a median of about $44,462 a year early in their careers.
Full Sail University earned the #11 position for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Winter Park, Full Sail University is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $46,024.
Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying design and applied arts schools. Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University is a public school located in the city of Tallahassee. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University typically earn about $36,500 annually.
Keiser University Ft Lauderdale ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying design and applied arts schools. Located in the city of Fort Lauderdale, Keiser University Ft Lauderdale is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from Keiser University Ft Lauderdale typically earn about $25,603 annually.
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 · 13 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.