2027 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Alabama
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 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools to find the best for design & applied arts students.
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Best Schools for Design & Applied Arts in Alabama
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall design & applied arts education in Alabama.
Top Schools in Design & Applied Arts
Auburn University tops our 2027 ranking of the best design & applied arts schools. Located in the city of Auburn, Auburn University is a very large public university. About 82% of students finish within six years. Auburn University awarded about 150 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $46,585 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $26,000.
See the full design & applied arts program report for Auburn University
A rank of #2 makes The University Of Alabama one of the top schools for design & applied arts. Located in the city of Tuscaloosa, The University Of Alabama is a very large public university. Roughly 73% of students complete a degree within six years here. The University Of Alabama awarded about 75 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from The University Of Alabama generally make around $44,215. Typical student debt for the program is $26,505.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from The University Of Alabama
Samford University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best design & applied arts schools. This moderately-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the suburb of Birmingham. About 77% of students finish within six years. Samford University awarded about 34 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Samford University earn a median of $41,323 early in their careers. Samford University graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans.
Read more about the design & applied arts program at Samford University
Troy University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best design & applied arts schools. This large public university is located in the town of Troy. The six-year graduation rate is 49%. About 29 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Troy University in the most recent year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Troy University earn a median of $46,723 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $26,439.
Read more about the design & applied arts program at Troy University
A rank of #5 makes George C Wallace State Community College Hanceville one of the top schools for design & applied arts. This moderately-sized public university is located in the rural area of Hanceville. George C Wallace State Community College Hanceville awarded about 18 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from George C Wallace State Community College Hanceville earn around $40,017 in the first couple years of their career. George C Wallace State Community College Hanceville graduates carry a median of $13,146 in student loans.
Get the full design & applied arts details for George C Wallace State Community College Hanceville
John C Calhoun State Community College landed the #6 spot for design & applied arts this year. This large public university is located in the city of Tanner. John C Calhoun State Community College awarded about 32 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of John C Calhoun State Community College earn a median of $42,916 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $13,839 to complete this degree.
Read more about the design & applied arts program at John C Calhoun State Community College
James H Faulkner State Community College landed the #7 spot for design & applied arts this year. James H Faulkner State Community College is a large public school located in the town of Bay Minette. There were roughly 21 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at James H Faulkner State Community College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from James H Faulkner State Community College generally make around $52,231. Students borrow a median of $14,326 to complete this degree.
See the full design & applied arts program report for James H Faulkner State Community College
Lawson State Community College Birmingham Campus ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best design & applied arts schools. This moderately-sized public university is located in the city of Birmingham. About 21 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Lawson State Community College Birmingham Campus in the most recent year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Lawson State Community College Birmingham Campus earn a median of $40,090 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $11,769.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Lawson State Community College Birmingham Campus
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 8 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.
