by our College Data Analytics Team
[Design And Applied Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying design and applied arts schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose design and applied arts graduates go on to earn the most.
Miami Ad School At Portfolio Center earned the #1 spot for highest-paid design and applied arts graduates in Georgia. Miami Ad School At Portfolio Center is a private for-profit school located in the city of Atlanta. Design And Applied Arts graduates of Miami Ad School At Portfolio Center earn a median of about $72,830 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #2 makes Gwinnett Technical College one of the highest-paying schools for design and applied arts. Located in the suburb of Lawrenceville, Gwinnett Technical College is a public institution. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $39,266.
Strong graduate earnings at Chattahoochee Technical College earned it the #3 place for design and applied arts. Chattahoochee Technical College is a public school located in the suburb of Marietta. Design And Applied Arts graduates of Chattahoochee Technical College earn a median of about $34,941 a year early in their careers.
Georgia Southern University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in design and applied arts, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the town of Statesboro, Georgia Southern University is a public institution. Early-career design and applied arts graduates from Georgia Southern University make a median of around $39,355 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of North Georgia earned it the #5 place for design and applied arts. University Of North Georgia is a public school located in the town of Dahlonega. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $47,803.
American Intercontinental University Atlanta ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying design and applied arts schools. Located in the city of Atlanta, American Intercontinental University Atlanta is a private for-profit institution. Design And Applied Arts graduates of American Intercontinental University Atlanta earn a median of about $32,692 a year early in their careers.
Savannah College Of Art And Design landed the #7 spot for design and applied arts salaries this year. Located in the city of Savannah, Savannah College Of Art And Design is a private not-for-profit institution. Design And Applied Arts graduates of Savannah College Of Art And Design earn a median of about $46,854 a year early in their careers.
Augusta Technical College placed #8 among the highest-paying schools for design and applied arts. Set in the city of Augusta, Augusta Technical College is a public institution. Early-career design and applied arts graduates from Augusta Technical College make a median of around $25,066 per year.
Clark Atlanta University earned the #9 position for design and applied arts graduate earnings this year. Clark Atlanta University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Atlanta. Early-career design and applied arts graduates from Clark Atlanta University make a median of around $28,479 per year.
This ranking is produced 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 · 9 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.