by our College Data Analytics Team
If you’re a veteran, service member, or military-affiliated student looking to study design and applied arts. at the Master’s Degree level, you’ve come to the right place. The list below highlights 36 colleges that stand out for veteran design and applied arts. students, using our 2026 methodology.
This ranking is based on the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students: affordability and veteran financial benefits (including GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon support), academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community. To help you decide, College Factual reviewed colleges nationwide, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Want to compare schools head to head? Check out our College Combat to build custom comparisons on the factors you care about most.
Explore the best design and applied arts. colleges for veterans at a specific degree level:
Learn more about these veteran-friendly design and applied arts. colleges below:
No school served veteran design and applied arts. students better than Iowa State University this year. It scores 84.5 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. See the full design and applied arts. report for Iowa State University
A rank of #2 makes University of Minnesota-Twin Cities one of the top design and applied arts. colleges for veteran students. The school's overall veterans score is 83.0 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. More about the design and applied arts. program at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
A rank of #3 makes North Carolina State University at Raleigh one of the top design and applied arts. colleges for veteran students. The school's overall veterans score is 80.9 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about design and applied arts. at North Carolina State University at Raleigh
A rank of #4 makes Bowling Green State University-Main Campus one of the top design and applied arts. colleges for veteran students. Bowling Green State University-Main Campus scores 80.3 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. See the full design and applied arts. report for Bowling Green State University-Main Campus
University of Illinois Chicago came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best design and applied arts. colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 80.2 out of 100. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. Read more about design and applied arts. at University of Illinois Chicago
University of California-Los Angeles came in at #6 for veteran design and applied arts. students this year. It scores 79.4 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about design and applied arts. at University of California-Los Angeles
The University of Texas at Austin landed the #7 spot for veterans pursuing design and applied arts.. The University of Texas at Austin scores 76.8 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. Read more about design and applied arts. at The University of Texas at Austin
Liberty University came in at #8 for veteran design and applied arts. students this year. Liberty University scores 76.7 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. More about the design and applied arts. program at Liberty University
Academy of Art University came in at #9 for veteran design and applied arts. students this year. Academy of Art University scores 76.5 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 96.8, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. More about the design and applied arts. program at Academy of Art University
Arizona State University Campus Immersion came in at #10 for veteran design and applied arts. students this year. It scores 76.0 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. See the full design and applied arts. report for Arizona State University Campus Immersion
Washington University in St Louis came in at #11 for veteran design and applied arts. students this year. It scores 75.8 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 43.1, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. See the full design and applied arts. report for Washington University in St Louis
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus placed #12 among the best design and applied arts. colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 74.3 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. See the full design and applied arts. report for University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus
University of North Texas landed the #13 spot for veterans pursuing design and applied arts.. University of North Texas scores 73.0 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. More about the design and applied arts. program at University of North Texas
Fashion Institute of Technology placed #14 among the best design and applied arts. colleges for veterans. Fashion Institute of Technology scores 72.3 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 0.0. See the full design and applied arts. report for Fashion Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology landed the #15 spot for veterans pursuing design and applied arts.. Rochester Institute of Technology scores 71.8 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 47.6, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. More about the design and applied arts. program at Rochester Institute of Technology
University of Oregon landed the #16 spot for veterans pursuing design and applied arts.. It scores 71.7 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about design and applied arts. at University of Oregon
Boston University placed #17 among the best design and applied arts. colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 71.4 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 41.6, and veteran resources 66.7. See the full design and applied arts. report for Boston University
University of Southern California placed #18 among the best design and applied arts. colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 70.6 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 44.7, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. See the full design and applied arts. report for University of Southern California
Kent State University at Kent landed the #19 spot for veterans pursuing design and applied arts.. The school's overall veterans score is 69.8 out of 100. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about design and applied arts. at Kent State University at Kent
Full Sail University landed the #20 spot for veterans pursuing design and applied arts.. Full Sail University scores 68.1 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. See the full design and applied arts. report for Full Sail University
Drexel University landed the #21 spot for veterans pursuing design and applied arts.. It scores 67.0 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 49.7, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. Read more about design and applied arts. at Drexel University
The New School placed #22 among the best design and applied arts. colleges for veterans. The New School scores 65.5 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 48.1, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. Read more about design and applied arts. at The New School
Northeastern University ranked #23 on our 2026 list of the best design and applied arts. colleges for veterans. Northeastern University scores 64.7 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 43.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. More about the design and applied arts. program at Northeastern University
Furman University ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the best design and applied arts. colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 63.7 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 46.5, with a veteran-resources score of 33.3. More about the design and applied arts. program at Furman University
School of Visual Arts ranked #25 on our 2026 list of the best design and applied arts. colleges for veterans. School of Visual Arts scores 61.9 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 55.2, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about design and applied arts. at School of Visual Arts
Not far behind, these design and applied arts. colleges also rank among the best for veterans this year:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is based on the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students studying design and applied arts.: affordability and veteran financial benefits (GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon), academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.
