College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts in the Great Lakes Region

23 Ranked Colleges
215 Degrees Awarded
$68,974 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region” 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 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 master’s degree level specifically, there were 215 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,892 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 23 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.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Design & Applied Arts Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Design Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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 Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region” 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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region”.

Top 23 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts in the Great Lakes Region

1
Carnbrook Academy crest
Cranbrook Academy of Art
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Cranbrook Academy of Art. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Carnbrook Academy is located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 16 masters’s design degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Carnbrook Academy Design & Applied Arts Report

2

Out of the 23 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, College for Creative Studies landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Detroit, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 10 diplomas to qualified masters’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 full report on Design & Applied Arts at College for Creative Studies

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend School of the Art Institute of Chicago. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 15 masters’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.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at School of the Art Institute of Chicago

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Bowling Green State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region. Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Bowling Green, Ohio. It awarded 32 masters’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Bowling Green State University - Main Campus Design & Applied Arts Report

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Illinois Institute of Technology. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region. Illinois Institute of Technology is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 masters’s design degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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 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 Illinois Tech

6
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #6. University of Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 16 masters’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at UChicago

7

Kent State University at Kent ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Kent State is a large public school situated in Kent, Ohio. It awarded 15 masters’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Kent State University at Kent Design & Applied Arts Report

8

With a ranking of #8, Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. OHIO Athens is a public institution located in Athens, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 22 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Ohio University - Athens Campus Design & Applied Arts Report

9

University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #9. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 17 masters’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 University of Illinois at Chicago

10
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #10, DePaul University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 12 diplomas to qualified masters’s design students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at DePaul University

11
UW - Stout crest
University of Wisconsin - Stout
Menomonie, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stout did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #11. University of Wisconsin - Stout is a medium-sized school located in Menomonie, Wisconsin that handed out 3 masters’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%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at UW - Stout

12
Ferris crest
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, Michigan

Ferris State University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Ferris is a fairly large public school situated in Big Rapids, Michigan. It awarded 6 masters’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Ferris State University

13

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 18 masters’s design degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Full UC Design & Applied Arts Report

14
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

With a ranking of #14, Ball State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Ball State University is a large public school situated in Muncie, Indiana. It awarded 5 masters’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Ball State University Design & Applied Arts Report

15
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 6 masters’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Northwestern University Design & Applied Arts Report

16
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

With a ranking of #16, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Purdue is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 masters’s design degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Purdue

17

Miami University - Oxford ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Miami University - Oxford is a public institution located in Oxford, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Miami University - Oxford

18
Eastern Michigan crest
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan

Eastern Michigan University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 2 degrees to qualified masters’s design students in 2020-2021.

Full Eastern Michigan University Design & Applied Arts Report

19
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Notre Dame, Indiana is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s design degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Notre Dame Design & Applied Arts Report

20

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #20. IUPUI is a public institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% 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 full report on Design & Applied Arts at IUPUI

21
Columbia crest
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Columbia College Chicago ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 271 diplomas to qualified masters’s design students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Columbia College Chicago

21

With a ranking of #21, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 47 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, 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 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Ohio State University - Main Campus

21

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Design Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #21. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s design degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, 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 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full U-M Design & Applied Arts Report

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options