2024 Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in California
Ranked #19 in popularity,
design & applied arts is one of the most sought-after associate degree programs in the nation. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.
For its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for design & applied arts students pursuing a associate degree. Combined, these schools handed out 1,133 associate degrees in design & applied arts to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Choosing a Great Design & Applied Arts School for Your Associate Degree
The design associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality design program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
Quality Overall Is Important
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To account for this we consider a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a collection of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Average Earnings
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of associate graduates during the early years of their career. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their associate degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
Other Factors We Consider
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
- Major Focus - How many resources a school devotes to design & applied arts students as compared to other majors.
- Major Demand - The number of design & applied arts students who choose to seek a associate degree at the school.
- Educational Resources - How many resources are allocated to students. These resources may include educational expenditures per student, number of students per instructor, and graduation rate among other things.
- Student Debt - How much debt design & applied arts students go into to obtain their associate degree and how well they are able to pay back that debt.
- Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized design & applied arts related body.
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for design & applied arts students working on their associate degree.
One Size Does Not Fit All
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 Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in California list to help you make the college decision.
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Featured Design & Applied Arts Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
AA in Digital Photography
Take the first step toward a career of visual expression and doing what you love with this online associate degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
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Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Design & Applied Arts in California
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing an associate degree in design & applied arts.
Top California Schools for an Associate in Design
FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles is a wonderful choice for students pursuing an associate degree in design & applied arts. Located in the city of Los Angeles, FIDM Los Angeles is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
Students who graduate with their associate from the design program report average early career earnings of $25,542.
More information about a associate in design & applied arts from FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles
Academy of Art University is a good decision for students interested in an associate degree in design & applied arts. Academy of Art University is a medium-sized private for-profit university located in the city of San Francisco.
Associate graduates who receive their degree from the design program earn an average of $19,200 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Academy of Art University
Los Angeles Trade Technical College is one of the finest schools in the country for getting an associate degree in design & applied arts. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Trade Technical College is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Associate recipients from the design & applied arts major at Los Angeles Trade Technical College get $7,895 more than the typical graduate in this field shortly after graduation.
More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Los Angeles Trade Technical College
San Diego Mesa College is a good choice for individuals pursuing an associate degree in design & applied arts. San Diego Mesa College is a large public college located in the large city of San Diego.
Soon after graduation, design associate recipients typically earn an average of $20,478 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a associate in design & applied arts from San Diego Mesa College
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