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

12 Colleges in the Southwest Region
720 Associate Degrees
$21,913 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you pursue a associate degree in design & applied arts, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #19 most popular program in the country. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 12 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 720 associate degrees in design & applied arts to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Design & Applied Arts School for Your Associate Degree

Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region Your choice of design & applied arts for getting your associate degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.

A Great Overall School

The overall quality of a associate degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Early-Career Earnings

Average early-career salary of those graduating with their associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their associate degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for design & applied arts students working on their associate degree.

More Ways to Rank Design & Applied Arts Schools

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing an associate degree in design & applied arts.

10 Top Southwest Region Schools for an Associate in Design

1
62 Annual Graduates
$31,268 Median Starting Salary
$6,900 Median Student Debt

Collin County Community College District is a wonderful option for students interested in an associate degree in design & applied arts. Collin County Community College District is a very large public college located in the medium-sized suburb of McKinney.

Those design & applied arts students who get their associate degree from Collin County Community College District receive $9,355 more than the typical design grad.

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

2
61 Annual Graduates
$26,956 Median Starting Salary
$19,939 Median Student Debt

Austin Community College District is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting an associate degree in design & applied arts. Austin Community College District is a very large public college located in the large city of Austin.

Those design & applied arts students who get their associate degree from Austin Community College District receive $5,043 more than the typical design grad.

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

3
El Centro College crest
El Centro College
Dallas, TX
74 Annual Graduates
$19,732 Median Starting Salary
$11,835 Median Student Debt

El Centro College is a great decision for individuals interested in an associate degree in design & applied arts. El Centro College is a very large public college located in the large city of Dallas.

After graduation, design associate recipients usually make around $19,732 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from El Centro College

4

Scottsdale Community College is a great option for individuals interested in an associate degree in design & applied arts. Located in the rural area of Scottsdale, Scottsdale Community College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

Associate recipients from the design & applied arts major at Scottsdale Community College get $8,215 more than the typical graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

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

5
4 Annual Graduates

University of Advancing Technology is a fairly small private for-profit university located in the medium-sized city of Tempe.More information about a associate in design & applied arts from University of Advancing Technology

6
35 Annual Graduates
$19,274 Median Starting Salary
$15,679 Median Student Debt

Located in the midsize city of Waco, TSTC is a public college with a fairly large student population.

Students who graduate with their associate from the design program state that they receive average early career wages of $19,274.

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

7

Located in the town of Okmulgee, OSU Institute of Technology is a public university with a small student population.

Associate recipients from the design & applied arts program at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology make $9,215 above the average college grad in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology

8
10 Annual Graduates
$19,757 Median Starting Salary
$22,250 Median Student Debt

Located in the city of Dallas, The Art Institute of Dallas is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.

After graduating, design associate recipients typically earn about $19,757 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from The Art Institute of Dallas

9
San Antonio College crest
San Antonio College
San Antonio, TX

Located in the city of San Antonio, San Antonio College is a public college with a fairly large student population.

Associate graduates who receive their degree from the design program earn about $17,961 for their early career.

More information about a associate in design & applied arts from San Antonio College

10
21 Annual Graduates
$18,262 Median Starting Salary
$14,250 Median Student Debt

Located in the city of Oklahoma City, OCCC is a public college with a fairly large student population.

Associate students who receive their degree from the design program earn an average of $18,262 for their early career.

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

Best Design & Applied Arts Colleges by State

Explore the best design & applied arts schools for a specific state in the Southwest Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Texas 200 464
Arizona 169 184
New Mexico 140 30
Oklahoma 136 42

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One of 10 majors within the Visual & Performing Arts area of study, Design & Applied Arts has other similar majors worth exploring.

Design Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Graphic Design 196
Visual Communications 150
Commercial & Advertising Art 116
Interior Design 103
Fashion Design 63
Game & Interactive Media Design 40
Commercial Photography 29
Illustration 21
Industrial Design 2

Related Major Annual Graduates
Fine & Studio Arts 459
Music 299
General Visual & Performing Arts 198
Drama & Theater Arts 185
Film, Video & Photographic Arts 167
Arts & Media Management 121
Dance 37

Notes and References

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