2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California
52
Ranked Colleges
2,446
Degrees Awarded
$32,566
Avg Salary
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California” ranking.
In 2020-2021, 36,301 people earned their degree in design and applied arts, making the major the 36th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, design and applied arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,426 and had an average of $25,481 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 4,575 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,016 and $26,876 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,446 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,566 and $21,995 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California” ranking looked at 52 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in design and applied arts. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in design and applied arts.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Design & Applied Arts Schools
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California”.
Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts in California
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Design Institute of San Diego. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California. This small school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Full Design Institute of San Diego Design & Applied Arts Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Laguna College of Art and Design. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California. Laguna Beach, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 94 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full LCAD Design & Applied Arts Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Otis College of Art and Design. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California list. Otis College of Art and Design is a small school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 114 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Otis College of Art and Design
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Art Center College of Design. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California. Art Center College of Design is located in Pasadena, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 252 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Art Center College of Design
Out of the 52 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Cogswell College landed the #5 spot on the list. Cogswell is a private for-profit institution located in San Jose, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Cogswell College
With a ranking of #6, Interior Designers Institute did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California list. Newport Beach, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 13 students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Interior Designers Institute
California College of the Arts did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California ranking, coming in at #7. This small school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 89 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at California College of the Arts
Newschool of Architecture and Design landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California ranking. Newschool of Architecture and Design is located in San Diego, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Newschool of Architecture and Design
With a ranking of #9, SAE Expression College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California list. SAE Expression College is a small school located in Emeryville, California that handed out 13 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
Full SAE Expression College Design & Applied Arts Report
Woodbury University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California ranking, coming in at #10. Woodbury is a private not-for-profit institution located in Burbank, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Woodbury University
Academy of Art University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California ranking. Academy of Art University is a medium-sized private for-profit school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 81 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Academy of Art University
With a ranking of #13, Columbia College Hollywood did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California list. Columbia College Hollywood is a private not-for-profit institution located in Tarzana, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Columbia College Hollywood
Los Angeles Film School landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California ranking. LA Film School is a medium-sized school located in Hollywood, California that handed out 47 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Los Angeles Film School Design & Applied Arts Report
FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California ranking. FIDM Los Angeles is a small private for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 32 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles
With a ranking of #16, California Institute of the Arts did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California list. California Institute of the Arts is located in Valencia, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at CalArts
With a ranking of #17, California State University - Chico did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California list. Chico State is located in Chico, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 143 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full California State University - Chico Design & Applied Arts Report
San Francisco State University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California ranking. Located in San Francisco, California, this large public school handed out 193 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full San Francisco State University Design & Applied Arts Report
San Jose State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California ranking, coming in at #19. Located in San Jose, California, this large public school awarded 201 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
Full San Jose State University Design & Applied Arts Report
University of California - Davis ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California list. University of California - Davis is a large school located in Davis, California that handed out 228 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at UC Davis
University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California list. Santa Cruz, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 108 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full UC Santa Cruz Design & Applied Arts Report
California Baptist University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California ranking. Cal Baptist is a private not-for-profit institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 56 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at California Baptist University
Platt College - Ontario landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California ranking. Platt College - Ontario is a small private for-profit school situated in Ontario, California. It awarded 4 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Platt College - Ontario
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California list. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is located in Pomona, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 113 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Cal Poly Pomona
California State University - Monterey Bay ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in California list. CSUMB is located in Seaside, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 31 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full CSUMB Design & Applied Arts Report
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