2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region
126
Ranked Colleges
3,230
Degrees Awarded
$34,132
Avg Salary
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
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 the Great Lakes region, there were 5,375 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,734 and $25,957 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,230 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,343 and $26,790 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 126 colleges that offered a degree in design and applied arts. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their design and applied arts program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Design & Applied Arts Schools
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region” list to help you make the college decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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 the Great Lakes Region
The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree design students.
Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend American Academy of Art. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. American Academy of Art is a small private for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 25 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
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.
Full The Academy Design & Applied Arts Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is a private not-for-profit institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 106 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Design & Applied Arts Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend College for Creative Studies. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in Detroit, Michigan, and it awarded 155 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at CCS
Out of the 126 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbus College of Art and Design landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 119 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at CCAD
Out of the 126 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Art Academy of Cincinnati landed the #5 spot on the list. This small school is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at AAC
Cleveland Institute of Art landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Cleveland, Ohio, and it awarded 66 bachelors’s design degrees 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full Cleveland Institute of Art Design & Applied Arts Report
With a ranking of #7, The North Coast College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. The North Coast College is a private for-profit institution located in Lakewood, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full The North Coast College Design & Applied Arts Report
Columbia College Chicago ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 271 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Columbia
The Modern College of Design landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Kettering, Ohio, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at The Modern College of Design
University of Wisconsin - Stout ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - Stout is a medium-sized school located in Menomonie, Wisconsin that handed out 132 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
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%.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at UW - Stout
Cedarville University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Cedarville, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 49 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Cedarville University
With a ranking of #12, Adrian College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Adrian is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Adrian, Michigan. It awarded 19 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Adrian College
Mount Mary University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Mount Mary University
Defiance College landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Defiance College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Defiance, Ohio. It awarded 4 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Defiance College
With a ranking of #15, Taylor University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Taylor U is located in Upland, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Taylor University
Eureka College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Eureka, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 5 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2020-2021.
Full Eureka College Design & Applied Arts Report
Kent State University at Kent did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #17. Kent, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 223 students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Kent State
Grace College and Theological Seminary ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Grace College and Theological Seminary is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Winona Lake, Indiana. It awarded 18 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Grace College
Ferris State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #19. Ferris State University is located in Big Rapids, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 106 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Ferris
Northland College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Ashland, Wisconsin, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 4 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Northland
Bradley University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Peoria, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 44 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Bradley University
With a ranking of #22, Quincy University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Quincy, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 7 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Quincy University
Franklin College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Franklin, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 5 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students 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%.
Full Franklin College of Indiana Design & Applied Arts Report
University of Cincinnati - Main Campus landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UC is a public institution located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 235 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Design & Applied Arts Report
Judson University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #25. This small school is located in Elgin, Illinois, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Judson