College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2024 Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region

14 Colleges in the Great Lakes Region
1,105 Associate Degrees
$24,064 Avg Early-Career Salary
Design & Applied Arts is of the hottest associate degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #19 most popular major in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 14 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 1,105 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

Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region 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. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:

Overall Quality Is a Must

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 include a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a combination of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Average Early-Career Salaries

To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their associate degree from the school. After all, your associate degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

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

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Design Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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 the Great Lakes Region list to help you make the college decision.

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Design & Applied Arts in the Great Lakes Region

Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for design & applied arts students seeking a an associate degree.

10 Top Great Lakes Region Schools for an Associate in Design

1
94 Annual Graduates
$31,866 Median Starting Salary
$15,750 Median Student Debt

Every student pursuing a degree in an associate degree in design & applied arts needs to check out Madison Area Technical College. Madison College is a fairly large public college located in the large city of Madison.

Design & Applied Arts associate degree recipients from Madison Area Technical College get an earnings boost of around $7,802 over the average income of design & applied arts graduates.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Madison Area Technical College

2

It is hard to beat Milwaukee Area Technical College if you want to pursue an associate degree in design & applied arts. Located in the city of Milwaukee, MATC is a public college with a large student population.

Design & Applied Arts associate degree recipients from Milwaukee Area Technical College earn a boost of about $6,636 over the typical earnings of design & applied arts majors.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Milwaukee Area Technical College

3
37 Annual Graduates
$32,923 Median Starting Salary
$15,554 Median Student Debt

Waukesha County Technical College is a good option for individuals pursuing an associate degree in design & applied arts. Located in the large suburb of Pewaukee, WCTC is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Those design & applied arts students who get their associate degree from Waukesha County Technical College make $8,859 more than the typical design grad.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Waukesha County Technical College

4
53 Annual Graduates
$27,746 Median Starting Salary
$11,000 Median Student Debt

Every student who is interested in an associate degree in design & applied arts needs to take a look at Sinclair Community College. Sinclair Community College is a fairly large public college located in the city of Dayton.

Associate recipients from the design & applied arts program at Sinclair Community College get $3,682 above the average college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Sinclair Community College

5
9 Annual Graduates

IUPUI is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Indianapolis.More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis

6
28 Annual Graduates
$25,814 Median Starting Salary
$12,057 Median Student Debt

Western Technical College is a small public college located in the city of La Crosse.

Associate graduates who receive their degree from the design program make about $25,814 for their early career.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Western Technical College

7
72 Annual Graduates
$26,659 Median Starting Salary
$10,500 Median Student Debt

Macomb Community College is a fairly large public college located in the midsize city of Warren.

Those design & applied arts students who get their associate degree from Macomb Community College receive $2,595 more than the typical design grad.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Macomb Community College

8
Ivy Tech Community College crest
Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis, IN
78 Annual Graduates
$21,992 Median Starting Salary
$12,710 Median Student Debt

Ivy Tech Community College is a very large public college located in the city of Indianapolis.

Associate students who receive their degree from the design program earn about $21,992 for their early career.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Ivy Tech Community College

9
54 Annual Graduates
$18,006 Median Starting Salary
$15,500 Median Student Debt

Gateway Technical College is a medium-sized public college located in the midsize suburb of Kenosha.

Soon after graduation, design associate recipients usually make around $18,006 in their early careers.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Gateway Technical College

10
52 Annual Graduates
$20,234 Median Starting Salary
$11,795 Median Student Debt

Located in the large city of Cleveland, Cuyahoga Community College District is a public college with a fairly large student population.

After graduation, design associate recipients generally make around $20,234 in their early careers.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Cuyahoga Community College District

Best Design & Applied Arts Colleges by State

Explore the best design & applied arts colleges for a specific state in the Great Lakes Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Ohio 196 279
Michigan 192 260
Indiana 123 112
Illinois 119 136
Wisconsin 114 318

View All Rankings >

Design & Applied Arts is one of 10 different types of Visual & Performing Arts programs to choose from.

Design Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Graphic Design 417
Commercial & Advertising Art 252
Interior Design 195
Visual Communications 125
Commercial Photography 47
Game & Interactive Media Design 36
Illustration 14
Other Design & Applied Arts 10
Industrial Design 5
Fashion Design 4

Majors Similar to Design

Related Major Annual Graduates
Fine & Studio Arts 227
Film, Video & Photographic Arts 105
Music 96
Drama & Theater Arts 18
General Visual & Performing Arts 17
Arts & Media Management 17
Crafts, Folk Art & Artisanry 8
Dance 1

Notes and References

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options