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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Design & Applied Arts in Ohio

52 Ranked Colleges
1,941 Degrees Awarded
$28,300 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio” ranking.

Design & Applied Arts is the 36th most popular major in the country with 36,301 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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 Ohio, there were 1,941 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,428 and $27,313 respectively.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio” ranking looked at 52 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in design and applied arts. That schools that top this list have a program in design and applied arts in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Design & Applied Arts Schools

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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 Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio” list to help you make the college decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio”.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Design & Applied Arts in Ohio

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The Modern College of Design. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio list. The Modern College of Design is a small school located in Kettering, Ohio that handed out 70 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full The Modern College of Design Design & Applied Arts Report

2
The North Coast College crest
The North Coast College
Lakewood, Ohio

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The North Coast College. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio. Lakewood, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s design degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at The North Coast College

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbus College of Art and Design. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio list. CCAD is a small school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 119 ’s design degrees 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 Columbus College of Art and Design

4
AAC crest
Art Academy of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio

Out of the 52 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio that were part of this year’s ranking, Art Academy of Cincinnati landed the #4 spot on the list. This small school is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it awarded 15 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

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.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Art Academy of Cincinnati

5

Out of the 52 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio that were part of this year’s ranking, Cleveland Institute of Art landed the #5 spot on the list. Cleveland, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s design degrees to 66 students in 2020-2021.

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. 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 CIA

6
Cedarville crest
Cedarville University
Cedarville, Ohio

Cedarville University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio ranking, coming in at #6. Cedarville University is located in Cedarville, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 49 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, 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 Cedarville Design & Applied Arts Report

7
Defiance College crest
Defiance College
Defiance, Ohio

Defiance College ranked #7 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio list. Defiance, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s design degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.

Full Defiance College Design & Applied Arts Report

8
Davis College crest
Davis College
Toledo, Ohio

Davis College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio ranking. Davis College is a small school located in Toledo, Ohio that handed out 1 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Davis College

9

Kent State University at Kent did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio ranking, coming in at #9. Kent, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s design degrees to 238 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Kent State University at Kent

10

University of Cincinnati - Blue Ash College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio ranking. University of Cincinnati - Blue Ash College is a medium-sized school located in Blue Ash, Ohio that handed out 33 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at UC Blue Ash College

11

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus ranked #11 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio list. UC is a public institution located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 253 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus

12

Northwest State Community College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio ranking, coming in at #12. Northwest State Community College is a small public school situated in Archbold, Ohio. It awarded 7 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Northwest State Community College

13
Shawnee State University crest
Shawnee State University
Portsmouth, Ohio

Shawnee State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio ranking. This small school is located in Portsmouth, Ohio, and it awarded 13 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Shawnee State University

14

Bowling Green State University - Main Campus came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio ranking. Bowling Green, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s design degrees to 88 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Bowling Green State University - Main Campus

15

Mount Vernon Nazarene University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio ranking, coming in at #15. This small school is located in Mount Vernon, Ohio, and it awarded 9 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.

Full Mount Vernon Nazarene University Design & Applied Arts Report

16

Mount St. Joseph University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio ranking. Mount St. Joseph University is a small school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 7 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Mount St. Joseph University

17

Miami University - Oxford ranked #17 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio list. Miami University - Oxford is a fairly large public school situated in Oxford, Ohio. It awarded 76 ’s design degrees 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Miami University - Oxford

18

With a ranking of #18, Cuyahoga Community College District did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio list. Cuyahoga Community College District is located in Cleveland, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 76 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Cuyahoga Community College District

19
Otterbein crest
Otterbein University
Westerville, Ohio

Otterbein University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio ranking, coming in at #19. Otterbein is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Westerville, Ohio. It awarded 8 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

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 more about Design & Applied Arts at Otterbein University

20

Cincinnati State Technical and Community College ranked #20 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio list. Cincinnati State is a medium-sized school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 13 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College

21

Ohio Dominican University ranked #21 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio list. This small school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 4 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% 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 ODU

22
Franklin University crest
Franklin University
Columbus, Ohio

Franklin University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 17 degrees to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Franklin University

23
Owens State Community College crest
Owens Community College
Perrysburg, Ohio

Owens Community College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio ranking, coming in at #23. Perrysburg, Ohio is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s design degrees to 22 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Owens Community College

24

With a ranking of #24, University of Akron Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio list. University of Akron Main Campus is a public institution located in Akron, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 34 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at University of Akron Main Campus

25
Walsh crest
Walsh University
North Canton, Ohio

Walsh University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in Ohio ranking, coming in at #25. Walsh University is a private not-for-profit institution located in North Canton, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Walsh University

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

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