by our College Data Analytics Team
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
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 North Carolina, there were 2,174 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,342 and $22,204 respectively.
This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina” ranking looked at 51 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.
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 North Carolina” 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.
The colleges and universities below are the best for north carolina design students.
Out of the 51 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina that were part of this year’s ranking, William Peace University landed the #1 spot on the list. WPU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Raleigh, North Carolina. It awarded 23 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Meredith College. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina. Meredith is a small school located in Raleigh, North Carolina that handed out 30 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, 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 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend St. Andrews University. The school came in at #3 for the Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina. St. Andrews is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Laurinburg, North Carolina. It awarded 6 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend High Point University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina list. High Point University is a medium-sized school located in High Point, North Carolina that handed out 46 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
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%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Chowan University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina list. Chowan University is a small school located in Murfreesboro, North Carolina that handed out 7 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
Salem College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #6. Salem College is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 ’s design degrees to qualified students.
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%.
With a ranking of #7, Appalachian State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina list. Appalachian State is a public institution located in Boone, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 167 ’s 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Appalachian State University
Elizabeth City State University ranked #8 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina list. ECSU is a small school located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina that handed out 8 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Elizabeth City State University
Queens University of Charlotte landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina ranking. This small school is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and it awarded 21 ’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 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Queens University of Charlotte Design & Applied Arts Report
Randolph Community College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina ranking. Located in Asheboro, North Carolina, this small public school handed out 72 degrees to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Randolph Community College
With a ranking of #11, Pfeiffer University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina list. Pfeiffer University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Misenheimer, North Carolina. It awarded 6 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Methodist University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #12. Methodist University is a small school located in Fayetteville, North Carolina that handed out 7 ’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.
With a ranking of #13, Central Piedmont Community College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina list. This fairly large school is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and it awarded 180 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Central Piedmont Community College Design & Applied Arts Report
Western Piedmont Community College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Morganton, North Carolina, this small public school awarded 6 degrees to qualified ’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 Western Piedmont Community College
Wake Technical Community College landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina ranking. Wake Technical Community College is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 757 ’s design degrees to qualified students.
Full Wake Technical Community College Design & Applied Arts Report
Lenoir - Rhyne University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina ranking. This small school is located in Hickory, North Carolina, and it awarded 7 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Lenoir - Rhyne University
Catawba Valley Community College landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina ranking. Located in Hickory, North Carolina, this small public school awarded 16 diplomas to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.
Guilford Technical Community College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #18. Guilford Technical Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Jamestown, North Carolina. It awarded 52 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Guilford Technical Community College Design & Applied Arts Report
With a ranking of #19, Fayetteville Technical Community College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina list. Fayetteville Technical Community College is a medium-sized school located in Fayetteville, North Carolina that handed out 110 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
Guilford College landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina ranking. Guilford is located in Greensboro, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 ’s design degrees to qualified students.
With a ranking of #21, South Piedmont Community College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina list. South Piedmont Community College is a public institution located in Polkton, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at South Piedmont Community College
Pitt Community College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #22. Winterville, North Carolina is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s design degrees to 69 students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Pitt Community College
Lenoir Community College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #23. Lenoir Community College is a small public school situated in Kinston, North Carolina. It awarded 25 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Lenoir Community College
Wayne Community College landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina ranking. Wayne Community College is a public institution located in Goldsboro, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 74 ’s 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 Wayne Community College
University of North Carolina at Greensboro ranked #25 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Design Major in North Carolina list. UNC Greensboro is a public institution located in Greensboro, North Carolina. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 42 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at University of North Carolina at Greensboro
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