2027 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in District of Columbia

Design & Applied Arts is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. The schools below stand out for the quality of their design & applied arts programs.

To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools to find the best for design & applied arts students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in District of Columbia

Best Schools for Design & Applied Arts in District of Columbia

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall design & applied arts education in District of Columbia.

Top Schools in Design & Applied Arts

1

American University
Washington, DC

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

27 Design & Applied Arts Degrees Awarded

$54,585 Median Starting Salary

American University tops our 2027 ranking of the best design & applied arts schools. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Washington. The six-year graduation rate is 76%. About 27 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at American University in the most recent year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from American University earn around $54,585 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $24,139. See the full design & applied arts program report for American University

2

George Washington University
Washington, DC

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

44 Design & Applied Arts Degrees Awarded

$54,222 Median Starting Salary

George Washington University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in design & applied arts, ranking #2. George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. George Washington University graduates 84% of students within six years. About 44 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at George Washington University in the most recent year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $54,222 in their early career. George Washington University graduates carry a median of $22,910 in student loans. Get the full design & applied arts details for George Washington University

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 2 schools evaluated.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.