by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual looked at 50 colleges and universities when compiling its 2024 Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 3,168 bachelor's degrees in design & applied arts to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Your choice of design & applied arts for getting your bachelor's degree school matters. Important measures of a quality design program can vary widely even among the top schools. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
The overall quality of a bachelor's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To take this into account we include a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a collection of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of bachelor's graduates during the early years of their career. That is, everyone wants their bachelor's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
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 schools for design & applied arts students working on their bachelor's degree.
The design school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
BA in Graphic Design & Media Arts
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Learn to create a striking portfolio and hone the skills you need to succeed in the world of professional photography with this online digital photography degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
Get on the right path to the fast-paced, exciting world of video game art and design with this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a bachelor's degree in design & applied arts.
It's hard to beat University of Southern California if you want to pursue a bachelor's degree in design & applied arts. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.
Bachelor's graduates who receive their degree from the design program make an average of $29,631 in the first couple years of working.
More information about a bachelor’s in design & applied arts from University of Southern California
It is difficult to beat University of California - Davis if you want to pursue a bachelor's degree in design & applied arts. UC Davis is a fairly large public university located in the small suburb of Davis.
Design & Applied Arts bachelor's degree recipients from University of California - Davis receive an earnings boost of about $5,133 above the average earnings of design & applied arts majors.
More information about a bachelor’s in design & applied arts from University of California - Davis
University of Washington - Seattle Campus is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a bachelor's degree in design & applied arts. UW Seattle is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Seattle.
Bachelor's recipients from the design & applied arts degree program at University of Washington - Seattle Campus earn $16,587 above the average graduate in this field shortly after graduation.
More information about a bachelor’s in design & applied arts from University of Washington - Seattle Campus
It's hard to beat University of California - Los Angeles if you want to pursue a bachelor's degree in design & applied arts. UCLA is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Los Angeles.
Those design & applied arts students who get their bachelor's degree from University of California - Los Angeles make $6,574 more than the average design student.
More information about a bachelor’s in design & applied arts from University of California - Los Angeles
Art Center College of Design is a small private not-for-profit college located in the medium-sized city of Pasadena.
Design & Applied Arts bachelor's degree recipients from Art Center College of Design get an earnings boost of about $7,110 above the typical income of design & applied arts graduates.
More information about a bachelor’s in design & applied arts from Art Center College of Design
Located in the city of San Jose, San Jose State is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Design & Applied Arts bachelor's degree recipients from San Jose State University receive an earnings boost of around $13,689 above the average earnings of design & applied arts majors.
More information about a bachelor’s in design & applied arts from San Jose State University
Located in the small city of Bellingham, WWU is a public university with a large student population.
Bachelor's recipients from the design & applied arts program at Western Washington University make $6,911 above the standard college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.
More information about a bachelor’s in design & applied arts from Western Washington University
Otis College of Art and Design is a small private not-for-profit college located in the city of Los Angeles.
Design & Applied Arts bachelor's degree recipients from Otis College of Art and Design receive an earnings boost of about $5,590 over the average income of design & applied arts graduates.
More information about a bachelor’s in design & applied arts from Otis College of Art and Design
Located in the city of Los Angeles, FIDM Los Angeles is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
Bachelor's graduates who receive their degree from the design program make an average of $30,424 in their early career salary.
More information about a bachelor’s in design & applied arts from FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles
Located in the large city of Long Beach, CSULB is a public university with a very large student population.
Design & Applied Arts bachelor's degree recipients from California State University - Long Beach receive an earnings boost of about $7,198 over the average earnings of design & applied arts graduates.
More information about a bachelor’s in design & applied arts from California State University - Long BeachLearn about other programs related to Design & Applied Arts that might interest you.
BA in Graphic Design & Media Arts - 3D Modeling & Animation
Learn the cutting-edge skills to become a player in the multimedia design world with this specialized online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
BA in Graphic Design & Media Arts - Web Design
Gain a solid grounding in your online web design classes and exercise your creative muscle with this specialized online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
BS in Game Programming & Development
Go beyond traditional software development to gain the technical expertise required to succeed in an exciting and competitive field with this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
Explore the best design & applied arts colleges for a specific state in the Far Western US Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| California | 262 | 2,446 |
| Washington | 226 | 348 |
| Oregon | 185 | 303 |
| Nevada | 129 | 61 |
| Hawaii | 112 | 10 |
One of 10 majors within the Visual & Performing Arts area of study, Design & Applied Arts has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Visual Communications | 741 |
| Graphic Design | 671 |
| Interior Design | 393 |
| Other Design & Applied Arts | 338 |
| Game & Interactive Media Design | 310 |
| Illustration | 289 |
| Industrial Design | 256 |
| Fashion Design | 102 |
| Commercial & Advertising Art | 68 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Fine & Studio Arts | 4,906 |
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 3,017 |
| Music | 2,159 |
| Drama & Theater Arts | 2,047 |
| General Visual & Performing Arts | 551 |
| Dance | 418 |
| Arts & Media Management | 231 |
| Other Visual Art | 75 |
