2026 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Georgia
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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 29 schools to find the best for design & applied arts students.
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Best Schools for Design & Applied Arts in Georgia
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
No school ranked higher than Georgia Southern University this year for design & applied arts. This very large public university is located in the town of Statesboro. Georgia Southern University graduates 55% of students within six years. About 78 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Georgia Southern University in the most recent year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Georgia Southern University earn around $39,355 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $26,000.
See the full design & applied arts program report for Georgia Southern University
Gwinnett Technical College is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in design & applied arts, ranking #2. Set in the suburb of Lawrenceville, Gwinnett Technical College is a large public institution. About 102 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Gwinnett Technical College in the most recent year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $32,851 in their early career. Gwinnett Technical College graduates carry a median of $18,997 in student loans.
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Students looking for a strong design & applied arts program will find one at Savannah College Of Art And Design, which ranked #3. Savannah College Of Art And Design is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Savannah. The six-year graduation rate is 69%. Savannah College Of Art And Design awarded about 803 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Savannah College Of Art And Design earn a median of $32,194 early in their careers. Savannah College Of Art And Design graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
Read more about the design & applied arts program at Savannah College Of Art And Design
Chattahoochee Technical College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best design & applied arts schools. Set in the suburb of Marietta, Chattahoochee Technical College is a large public institution. There were roughly 225 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Chattahoochee Technical College in the most recent data year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Chattahoochee Technical College earn a median of $44,673 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $9,616 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Chattahoochee Technical College
A rank of #5 makes Central Georgia Technical College Warner Robins one of the top schools for design & applied arts. Located in the city of Warner Robins, Central Georgia Technical College Warner Robins is a large public university. Central Georgia Technical College Warner Robins awarded about 56 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $39,765 in their early career. Central Georgia Technical College Warner Robins graduates carry a median of $11,693 in student loans.
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Athens Technical College placed #6 among the best design & applied arts schools. Set in the city of Athens, Athens Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. Athens Technical College awarded about 30 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Athens Technical College earn around $41,631 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $9,500.
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Middle Georgia State University landed the #7 spot for design & applied arts this year. Located in the city of Macon, Middle Georgia State University is a large public university. Roughly 24% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 10 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Middle Georgia State University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Middle Georgia State University generally make around $48,207. Students borrow a median of $26,976 to complete this degree.
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Lanier Technical College landed the #8 spot for design & applied arts this year. Set in the city of Gainesville, Lanier Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. Lanier Technical College awarded about 60 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Lanier Technical College generally make around $37,118. Typical student debt for the program is $12,278.
See the full design & applied arts program report for Lanier Technical College
Brenau University came in at #9 for design & applied arts this year. Located in the city of Gainesville, Brenau University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Roughly 35% of students complete a degree within six years here. Brenau University awarded about 14 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Brenau University earn a median of $59,258 early in their careers. Brenau University graduates carry a median of $36,299 in student loans.
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West Georgia Technical College landed the #10 spot for design & applied arts this year. Set in the rural area of Waco, West Georgia Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. About 19 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at West Georgia Technical College in the most recent year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from West Georgia Technical College earn around $39,922 in the first couple years of their career. West Georgia Technical College graduates carry a median of $12,651 in student loans.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from West Georgia Technical College
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best design & applied arts schools. Wiregrass Georgia Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Valdosta. Wiregrass Georgia Technical College awarded about 24 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Wiregrass Georgia Technical College generally make around $40,452. Typical student debt for the program is $10,864.
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Valdosta State University landed the #12 spot for design & applied arts this year. Set in the city of Valdosta, Valdosta State University is a large public institution. Roughly 42% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 11 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Valdosta State University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Valdosta State University earn around $44,914 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $28,661 to complete this degree.
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Augusta Technical College came in at #13 for design & applied arts this year. Located in the city of Augusta, Augusta Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. About 79 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Augusta Technical College in the most recent year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $41,892 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $11,400.
More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Augusta Technical College
Atlanta Technical College placed #14 among the best design & applied arts schools. Atlanta Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Atlanta. About 65 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Atlanta Technical College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Atlanta Technical College generally make around $35,441. Atlanta Technical College graduates carry a median of $17,655 in student loans.
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North Georgia Technical College ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the best design & applied arts schools. Set in the rural area of Clarkesville, North Georgia Technical College is a mid-sized public institution. North Georgia Technical College awarded about 26 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the design & applied arts program make about $34,133 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $12,279.
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Albany Technical College earned the #16 position for design & applied arts this year. This mid-sized public university is located in the city of Albany. There were roughly 39 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Albany Technical College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Albany Technical College earn around $35,895 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $16,321 to complete this degree.
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Georgia Piedmont Technical College placed #17 among the best design & applied arts schools. Located in the suburb of Clarkston, Georgia Piedmont Technical College is a mid-sized public university. About 26 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Georgia Piedmont Technical College in the most recent year. Students who receive their design & applied arts degree from Georgia Piedmont Technical College earn around $42,073 in the first couple years of their career. Georgia Piedmont Technical College graduates carry a median of $15,716 in student loans.
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Clark Atlanta University ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best design & applied arts schools. Clark Atlanta University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Atlanta. About 49% of students finish within six years. Clark Atlanta University awarded about 23 design & applied arts degrees in the most recent data year. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Clark Atlanta University earn a median of $20,974 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $27,427 to complete this degree.
See the full design & applied arts program report for Clark Atlanta University
Miami Ad School At Portfolio Center ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the best design & applied arts schools. This small private for-profit university is located in the city of Atlanta. About 44 design & applied arts degrees were awarded at Miami Ad School At Portfolio Center in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Miami Ad School At Portfolio Center generally make around $56,833.
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More Design & Applied Arts Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 29 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.