2027 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Arkansas
Design & Applied Arts degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for design & applied arts students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Design & Applied Arts in Arkansas
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the design & applied arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Design & Applied Arts
University Of Arkansas tops our 2027 ranking of the best design & applied arts schools. This very large public university is located in the city of Fayetteville. The six-year graduation rate is 70%. About 39 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at University Of Arkansas in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from University Of Arkansas generally make around $41,782. University Of Arkansas graduates carry a median of $23,881 in student loans.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from University Of Arkansas
Harding University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in design & applied arts, ranking #2. Harding University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Searcy. Roughly 69% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 20 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Harding University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Harding University earn around $35,582 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $26,715 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Harding University
University Of Central Arkansas is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in design & applied arts, ranking #3. University Of Central Arkansas is a large public school located in the city of Conway. The six-year graduation rate is 53%. About 21 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at University Of Central Arkansas in the most recent year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of University Of Central Arkansas earn a median of $43,106 early in their careers. University Of Central Arkansas graduates carry a median of $22,920 in student loans.
Get the full design & applied arts details for University Of Central Arkansas
Arkansas State University Main Campus is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts, landing the #4 spot this year. This very large public university is located in the city of Jonesboro. Roughly 53% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 17 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Arkansas State University Main Campus in the most recent year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $35,970 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $23,399 to complete this degree.
See the full design & applied arts program report for Arkansas State University Main Campus
John Brown University came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best design & applied arts schools. This mid-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the town of Siloam Springs. The six-year graduation rate is 72%. John Brown University awarded about 22 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from John Brown University generally make around $24,893. Students borrow a median of $20,500 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from John Brown University
Northwest Arkansas Community College earned the #6 position for design & applied arts this year. Northwest Arkansas Community College is a large public school located in the city of Bentonville. Northwest Arkansas Community College awarded about 39 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $40,671 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $12,479.
See the full design & applied arts program report for Northwest Arkansas Community College
University Of Arkansas Fort Smith landed the #7 spot for design & applied arts this year. Located in the city of Fort Smith, University Of Arkansas Fort Smith is a moderately-sized public university. About 38% of students finish within six years. About 15 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at University Of Arkansas Fort Smith in the most recent year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $39,204 in their early career. University Of Arkansas Fort Smith graduates carry a median of $20,333 in student loans.
See the full design & applied arts program report for University Of Arkansas Fort Smith
Ouachita Baptist University earned the #8 position for design & applied arts this year. Ouachita Baptist University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Arkadelphia. The six-year graduation rate is 64%. About 11 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Ouachita Baptist University in the most recent year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Ouachita Baptist University earn a median of $35,820 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $23,520.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Ouachita Baptist University
Arkansas Tech University placed #9 among the best design & applied arts schools. Arkansas Tech University is a large public school located in the town of Russellville. Arkansas Tech University graduates 44% of students within six years. About 56 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Arkansas Tech University in the most recent year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Arkansas Tech University earn a median of $20,285 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $28,950 to complete this degree.
Read more about the design & applied arts program at Arkansas Tech University
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 9 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.