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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the early-career earnings of their design and applied arts graduates.
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.
University Of North Dakota tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying design and applied arts schools in North Dakota. University Of North Dakota is a public school located in the city of Grand Forks. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from University Of North Dakota typically earn about $48,840 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in design and applied arts will find them at North Dakota State University Main Campus, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Fargo, North Dakota State University Main Campus is a public institution. Students who complete the design and applied arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $50,837.
Strong graduate earnings at Rasmussen College North Dakota earned it the #3 place for design and applied arts. Set in the city of Fargo, Rasmussen College North Dakota is a private for-profit institution. After graduating, design and applied arts degree recipients from Rasmussen College North Dakota typically earn about $32,246 annually.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their design and applied arts graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 3 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.
