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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Design & Applied Arts in the New England Region

75 Ranked Colleges
1,952 Degrees Awarded
$38,100 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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 New England region, there were 1,952 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,122 and $26,301 respectively.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region” ranking analyzed 75 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

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region” 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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for new england region design students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Design & Applied Arts in the New England Region

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Massachusetts College of Art and Design. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region. This small school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 214 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, 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.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Massachusetts College of Art and Design

2
Montserrat College of Art crest
Montserrat College of Art
Beverly, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Montserrat College of Art. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region. Montserrat College of Art is located in Beverly, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

Full Montserrat College of Art Design & Applied Arts Report

3
Maine College of Art crest
Maine College of Art
Portland, Maine

Out of the 75 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Maine College of Art landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Portland, Maine, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 23 diplomas to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

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.

Full Maine College of Art Design & Applied Arts Report

4
RISD crest
Rhode Island School of Design
Providence, Rhode Island

Out of the 75 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Rhode Island School of Design landed the #4 spot on the list. RISD is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Providence, Rhode Island. It awarded 73 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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.

Full Rhode Island School of Design Design & Applied Arts Report

5
VCFA crest
Vermont College of Fine Arts
Montpelier, Vermont

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Vermont College of Fine Arts. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region. VCFA is located in Montpelier, Vermont and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Vermont College of Fine Arts

6
New England Tech crest
New England Institute of Technology
East Greenwich, Rhode Island

New England Institute of Technology came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region ranking. This small school is located in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, and it awarded 73 ’s design 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 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full New England Tech Design & Applied Arts Report

7
WIT crest
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Boston, Massachusetts

Wentworth Institute of Technology ranked #7 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region list. WIT is a small school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 62 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at WIT

8
Lesley crest
Lesley University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Lesley University ranked #8 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region list. Lesley is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 74 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, 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 Lesley University Design & Applied Arts Report

9
CCV crest
Community College of Vermont
Montpelier, Vermont

Community College of Vermont came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region ranking. CCV is located in Montpelier, Vermont and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 26 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Community College of Vermont

10
Hampshire crest
Hampshire College
Amherst, Massachusetts

Hampshire College ranked #10 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region list. Hampshire College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Amherst, Massachusetts. It awarded 9 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Hampshire

11
NCC crest
Norwalk Community College
Norwalk, Connecticut

With a ranking of #11, Norwalk Community College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region list. This small school is located in Norwalk, Connecticut, and it awarded 23 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at NCC

12
Endicott crest
Endicott College
Beverly, Massachusetts

Endicott College ranked #12 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region list. This small school is located in Beverly, Massachusetts, and it awarded 48 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Endicott

13
MCC crest
Manchester Community College
Manchester, Connecticut

Manchester Community College ranked #13 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region list. MCC is a public institution located in Manchester, Connecticut. The school has a small population, and it awarded 25 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at MCC

14
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Colby - Sawyer College
New London, New Hampshire

Colby - Sawyer College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region ranking, coming in at #14. Located in New London, New Hampshire, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 degrees to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 Colby - Sawyer

15
UMass Dartmouth crest
University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth
North Dartmouth, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region ranking. UMass Dartmouth is a medium-sized public school situated in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts. It awarded 59 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Full University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth Design & Applied Arts Report

16
Champlain crest
Champlain College
Burlington, Vermont

Champlain College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region ranking, coming in at #16. Champlain is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Burlington, Vermont. It awarded 49 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Champlain

17
Lasell crest
Lasell University
Newton, Massachusetts

Lasell University ranked #17 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region list. Newton, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s design degrees to 17 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Lasell University

18
Three Rivers Community College crest
Three Rivers Community College
Norwich, Connecticut

With a ranking of #18, Three Rivers Community College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region list. Three Rivers Community College is a small school located in Norwich, Connecticut that handed out 12 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Three Rivers Community College Design & Applied Arts Report

19
Tunxis Community College crest
Tunxis Community College
Farmington, Connecticut

With a ranking of #19, Tunxis Community College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region list. Farmington, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s design degrees to 31 students in 2020-2021.

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 Tunxis Community College

20
NEC crest
New England College
Henniker, New Hampshire

New England College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region ranking, coming in at #20. NEC is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Henniker, New Hampshire. It awarded 27 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at NEC

21
Keene State crest
Keene State College
Keene, New Hampshire

Keene State College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region ranking, coming in at #21. Keene State College is a small school located in Keene, New Hampshire that handed out 21 ’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%.

Full Keene State Design & Applied Arts Report

22
UBridgeport crest
University of Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Connecticut

University of Bridgeport did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 32 diplomas to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at UBridgeport

23
Housatonic Community College crest
Housatonic Community College
Bridgeport, Connecticut

With a ranking of #23, Housatonic Community College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region list. Located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, this small public school handed out 14 diplomas to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

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

24
UHart crest
University of Hartford
West Hartford, Connecticut

University of Hartford ranked #24 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region list. University of Hartford is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in West Hartford, Connecticut. It awarded 42 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at UHart

25
Stonehill crest
Stonehill College
Easton, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #25, Stonehill College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in the New England Region list. This small school is located in Easton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 15 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, 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.

Full Stonehill College Design & Applied Arts Report

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