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. The highest-paying schools turn a design and applied arts degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find where design and applied arts graduates earn the most.
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 University Of Central Oklahoma, our #1 for design and applied arts graduate salaries in Oklahoma. University Of Central Oklahoma is a public school located in the suburb of Edmond. Design And Applied Arts graduates of University Of Central Oklahoma earn a median of about $59,192 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #2 makes Oklahoma Christian University one of the highest-paying schools for design and applied arts. Located in the city of Edmond, Oklahoma Christian 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 $49,855.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus earned it the #3 place for design and applied arts. Set in the suburb of Norman, University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a public institution. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $37,755.
Students chasing top earnings in design and applied arts will find them at Oklahoma City Community College, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City Community College is a public institution. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $30,101.
Strong graduate earnings at Oklahoma State University Institute Of Technology Okmulgee earned it the #5 place for design and applied arts. Set in the town of Okmulgee, Oklahoma State University Institute Of Technology Okmulgee is a public institution. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from Oklahoma State University Institute Of Technology Okmulgee typically earn about $28,438 annually.
Clary Sage College placed #6 among the highest-paying schools for design and applied arts. Set in the city of Tulsa, Clary Sage College is a private not-for-profit institution. Design And Applied Arts graduates of Clary Sage College earn a median of about $18,781 a year early in their careers.
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 · 6 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.