2026 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in New York
Design & Applied Arts degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 66 schools to find the best for design & applied arts students.
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Best Schools for Design & Applied Arts in New York
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall design & applied arts education in New York.
Top Schools in Design & Applied Arts
No school ranked higher than Syracuse University this year for design & applied arts. Set in the city of Syracuse, Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Syracuse University graduates 84% of students within six years. Syracuse University awarded about 124 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Syracuse University earn a median of $46,181 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000.
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Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts, landing the #2 spot this year. This moderately-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Troy. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates 84% of students within six years. There were roughly 45 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the most recent data year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn around $36,191 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete this degree.
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Students looking for a strong design & applied arts program will find one at Fashion Institute Of Technology, which ranked #3. Set in the city of New York, Fashion Institute Of Technology is a moderately-sized public institution. About 1,404 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Fashion Institute Of Technology in the most recent year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Fashion Institute Of Technology earn around $20,692 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $18,500.
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Pratt Institute Main came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best design & applied arts schools. Set in the city of Brooklyn, Pratt Institute Main is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 74% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 503 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Pratt Institute Main in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Pratt Institute Main generally make around $40,880. Students borrow a median of $19,000 to complete this degree.
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Rochester Institute Of Technology came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best design & applied arts schools. Located in the suburb of Rochester, Rochester Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 72%. Rochester Institute Of Technology awarded about 193 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $34,709 in their early career. Rochester Institute Of Technology graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
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Marist College landed the #6 spot for design & applied arts this year. Set in the suburb of Poughkeepsie, Marist College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Marist College graduates 80% of students within six years. About 45 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Marist College in the most recent year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Marist College earn around $28,336 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $26,929 to complete this degree.
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Suny College At Oneonta landed the #7 spot for design & applied arts this year. This moderately-sized public university is located in the town of Oneonta. The six-year graduation rate is 69%. There were roughly 43 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Suny College At Oneonta in the most recent data year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Suny College At Oneonta earn around $36,629 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $22,046 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Suny College At Oneonta
The New School earned the #8 position for design & applied arts this year. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of New York. About 70% of students finish within six years. About 631 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at The New School in the most recent year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from The New School earn around $36,279 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $23,606.
See the full design & applied arts program report for The New School
State University Of New York At New Paltz landed the #9 spot for design & applied arts this year. Set in the town of New Paltz, State University Of New York At New Paltz is a moderately-sized public institution. Roughly 72% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 30 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at State University Of New York At New Paltz in the most recent data year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from State University Of New York At New Paltz earn around $34,677 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $22,879.
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Suffolk County Community College came in at #10 for design & applied arts this year. Located in the suburb of Selden, Suffolk County Community College is a very large public university. About 44 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Suffolk County Community College in the most recent year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Suffolk County Community College earn around $24,907 in the first couple years of their career. Suffolk County Community College graduates carry a median of $9,132 in student loans.
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Farmingdale State College placed #11 among the best design & applied arts schools. Farmingdale State College is a large public school located in the suburb of Farmingdale. Farmingdale State College graduates 57% of students within six years. There were roughly 42 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Farmingdale State College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Farmingdale State College earn around $27,827 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $18,875 to complete this degree.
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Suny College At Brockport came in at #12 for design & applied arts this year. This moderately-sized public university is located in the town of Brockport. Roughly 55% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 10 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Suny College At Brockport in the most recent year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Suny College At Brockport earn around $39,724 in the first couple years of their career. Suny College At Brockport graduates carry a median of $24,757 in student loans.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Suny College At Brockport
Cuny Lehman College ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best design & applied arts schools. Located in the city of Bronx, Cuny Lehman College is a large public university. Roughly 51% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 15 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Cuny Lehman College in the most recent data year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Cuny Lehman College earn a median of $54,729 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $13,213 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Cuny Lehman College
St Johns University New York came in at #14 for design & applied arts this year. St Johns University New York is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Queens. St Johns University New York graduates 66% of students within six years. There were roughly 19 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at St Johns University New York in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from St Johns University New York generally make around $57,686. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from St Johns University New York
Nassau Community College placed #15 among the best design & applied arts schools. Set in the suburb of Garden City, Nassau Community College is a large public institution. About 27 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Nassau Community College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Nassau Community College generally make around $18,107. Students borrow a median of $10,600 to complete this degree.
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Monroe Community College placed #16 among the best design & applied arts schools. Located in the suburb of Rochester, Monroe Community College is a very large public university. About 30 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Monroe Community College in the most recent year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $27,718 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $10,250.
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Suny College At Buffalo came in at #17 for design & applied arts this year. Suny College At Buffalo is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Buffalo. Roughly 33% of students complete a degree within six years here. Suny College At Buffalo awarded about 35 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Suny College At Buffalo generally make around $39,412. Suny College At Buffalo graduates carry a median of $25,257 in student loans.
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School Of Visual Arts ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best design & applied arts schools. This mid-sized private for-profit university is located in the city of New York. The six-year graduation rate is 76%. There were roughly 328 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at School Of Visual Arts in the most recent data year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from School Of Visual Arts earn around $32,155 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree.
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Cuny Queens College earned the #19 position for design & applied arts this year. Located in the city of Queens, Cuny Queens College is a very large public university. Cuny Queens College graduates 53% of students within six years. Cuny Queens College awarded about 117 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $19,349 in their early career. Cuny Queens College graduates carry a median of $17,625 in student loans.
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Suny College At Oswego placed #20 among the best design & applied arts schools. This moderately-sized public university is located in the town of Oswego. Suny College At Oswego graduates 60% of students within six years. About 11 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Suny College At Oswego in the most recent year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Suny College At Oswego earn a median of $32,546 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $26,530.
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Suny At Fredonia earned the #21 position for design & applied arts this year. Located in the town of Fredonia, Suny At Fredonia is a mid-sized public university. About 50% of students finish within six years. About 27 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Suny At Fredonia in the most recent year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Suny At Fredonia earn around $19,451 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $26,500.
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Suny At Purchase College earned the #22 position for design & applied arts this year. Suny At Purchase College is a mid-sized public school located in the suburb of Purchase. Suny At Purchase College graduates 63% of students within six years. Suny At Purchase College awarded about 17 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Suny At Purchase College generally make around $23,182. Typical student debt for the program is $23,689.
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Cuny Kingsborough Community College landed the #23 spot for design & applied arts this year. Set in the city of Brooklyn, Cuny Kingsborough Community College is a very large public institution. There were roughly 76 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Cuny Kingsborough Community College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $19,146 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $7,858 to complete this degree.
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Lim College earned the #24 position for design & applied arts this year. This small private for-profit university is located in the city of New York. Roughly 49% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 20 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Lim College in the most recent year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Lim College earn around $31,885 in the first couple years of their career. Lim College graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
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Suny College Of Technology At Canton placed #25 among the best design & applied arts schools. Set in the town of Canton, Suny College Of Technology At Canton is a mid-sized public institution. About 42% of students finish within six years. Suny College Of Technology At Canton awarded about 10 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Suny College Of Technology At Canton generally make around $46,515. Students borrow a median of $23,640 to complete this degree.
See the full design & applied arts program report for Suny College Of Technology At Canton
Rest of the Top 40 Design & Applied Arts Schools
Not far behind, these schools also delivered a strong design & applied arts education:
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 66 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.
