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2023 Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s

84 Ranked Colleges
1,402 Degrees Awarded
$33,545 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor's

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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 Plains States region, there were 2,327 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,239 and $24,704 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,402 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,046 and $29,021 respectively.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s” ranking analyzed 84 colleges that offered a degree in design and applied arts. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular design and applied arts programs in the United States.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s”.

1

Out of the 84 schools in the Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Iowa State University landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Ames, Iowa, and it awarded 239 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full Iowa State Design & Applied Arts Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this large public school awarded 116 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s design 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Design & Applied Arts Report

3
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Kansas. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. University of Kansas is a large school located in Lawrence, Kansas that handed out 69 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, 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 86%.

Full KU Design & Applied Arts Report

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Minneapolis College of Art and Design. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 67 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 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 MCAD Design & Applied Arts Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Washington University in St Louis. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. Washington University in St Louis is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 64 bachelors’s 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at WUSTL

6
Bellevue University crest
Bellevue University
Bellevue, Nebraska

With a ranking of #6, Bellevue University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. This fairly large school is located in Bellevue, Nebraska, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Bellevue University

7
Kansas City Art Institute crest
Kansas City Art Institute
Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City Art Institute came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. Kansas City Art Institute is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Kansas City, Missouri. It awarded 51 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

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.

Full Kansas City Art Institute Design & Applied Arts Report

8

University of Northern Iowa came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Northern Iowa is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 50 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

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%. 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 UNI

9
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

With a ranking of #9, South Dakota State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. South Dakota State University is a fairly large public school situated in Brookings, South Dakota. It awarded 46 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at South Dakota State

10

With a ranking of #10, University of Minnesota - Duluth did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. University of Minnesota - Duluth is a public institution located in Duluth, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at University of Minnesota - Duluth

11

With a ranking of #11, Maryville University of Saint Louis did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 42 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Maryville University of Saint Louis Design & Applied Arts Report

12

With a ranking of #12, University of Nebraska - Lincoln did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. UNL is located in Lincoln, Nebraska and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 38 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 University of Nebraska - Lincoln

13
UCM crest
University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, Missouri

University of Central Missouri landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. Warrensburg, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 37 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at University of Central Missouri

14

Missouri State University - Springfield came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. Missouri State is a large school located in Springfield, Missouri that handed out 32 bachelors’s design 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 more about Design & Applied Arts at Missouri State University - Springfield

15

Wichita State University ranked #15 on this year’s Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. Wichita State University is a public institution located in Wichita, Kansas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Wichita State University

15
Webster crest
Webster University
Saint Louis, Missouri

Webster University ranked #15 on this year’s Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 24 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Webster

17
Bemidji State University crest
Bemidji State University
Bemidji, Minnesota

Bemidji State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. Bemidji State University is a small public school situated in Bemidji, Minnesota. It awarded 23 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

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%.

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

18
Park University crest
Park University
Parkville, Missouri

Park University ranked #18 on this year’s Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. Park University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Parkville, Missouri. It awarded 22 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Park University Design & Applied Arts Report

19
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

With a ranking of #19, Kansas State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. Kansas State University is located in Manhattan, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at K -State

19
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

With a ranking of #19, Saint Cloud State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. Saint Cloud, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 17 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at St. Cloud State University

21
Drake crest
Drake University
Des Moines, Iowa

With a ranking of #21, Drake University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. Drake University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Des Moines, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s 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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Drake

22

Upper Iowa University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. Fayette, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at UIU

23
Augsburg crest
Augsburg University
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Augsburg University ranked #23 on this year’s Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. This small school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Augsburg

24

Northwest Missouri State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Maryville, Missouri, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Northwest

25
Missouri Western crest
Missouri Western State University
Saint Joseph, Missouri

Missouri Western State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #25. Missouri Western State University is a small school located in Saint Joseph, Missouri that handed out 12 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Missouri Western State University

25

Minnesota State University - Moorhead landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. MSU Moorhead is a medium-sized school located in Moorhead, Minnesota that handed out 12 bachelors’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Minnesota State University - Moorhead

25

University of Northwestern - St Paul ranked #25 on this year’s Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. University of Northwestern - St Paul is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 Northwestern

25

North Dakota State University - Main Campus came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Design Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Fargo, North Dakota, this fairly large public school awarded 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’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%.

Full North Dakota State University Design & Applied Arts Report

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References

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