College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2024 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region

36 Colleges in the Plains States Region
2,327 Design Degrees Awarded
$31,239 Avg Early-Career Salary
Ranked #36 in popularity, design & applied arts is one of the most sought-after degree programs in the nation. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 36 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 2,327 degrees in design & applied arts to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Design & Applied Arts School

Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region Your choice of design & applied arts school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. For our Best Overall Design & Applied Arts School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Design & Applied Arts Rankings by Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Design
Bachelor's Degrees in Design
Master's Degrees in Design
Doctor's Degrees in Design

The design school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.

Best Schools for Design & Applied Arts in the Plains States Region

The schools below may not offer all types of design degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer.

10 Top Plains States Region Schools in Design

1
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
74 Design Degrees Awarded
28.4% Growth in Graduates

Washington University in St Louis is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in design & applied arts. WUSTL is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Saint Louis. A Best Colleges rank of #17 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means WUSTL is a great university overall.

There were approximately 74 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at WUSTL in the most recent data year. Those design & applied arts students who get their degree from Washington University in St Louis make $10,338 more than the average design student.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Washington University in St Louis

2
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
252 Design Degrees Awarded
$37,065 Median Starting Salary

Every student pursuing a degree in design & applied arts needs to check out Iowa State University. Iowa State is a very large public university located in the small city of Ames. A Best Colleges rank of #75 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Iowa State is a great university overall.

There were roughly 252 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Iowa State in the most recent year we have data available. Design & Applied Arts degree recipients from Iowa State University get an earnings boost of about $5,826 above the average earnings of design & applied arts majors.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Iowa State University

3
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
130 Design Degrees Awarded
$40,607 Median Starting Salary

Every student pursuing a degree in design & applied arts needs to look into University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. UMN Twin Cities is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Minneapolis. A Best Colleges rank of #51 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UMN Twin Cities is a great university overall.

There were about 130 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at UMN Twin Cities in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the design & applied arts program at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities earn $9,368 above the average college graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

4
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
72 Design Degrees Awarded
$32,536 Median Starting Salary

Every student pursuing a degree in design & applied arts has to check out University of Kansas. Located in the small city of Lawrence, KU is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #141 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means KU is a great university overall.

There were roughly 72 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at KU in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the design program earn around $32,536 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from University of Kansas

5
Drake crest
Drake University
Des Moines, IA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
5th Most Popular In IA
56.3% Growth in Graduates

Drake is a small private not-for-profit university located in the medium-sized city of Des Moines. A Best Colleges rank of #224 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Drake is a great university overall.

There were approximately 16 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Drake in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Drake University

6
Luther crest
Luther College
Decorah, IA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
8th Most Popular In IA
72.7% Growth in Graduates

Located in the town of Decorah, Luther is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. This college ranks 7th out of 40 schools for overall quality in the state of Iowa.

There were about 11 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Luther in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Luther College

7
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
50 Design Degrees Awarded
28.0% Growth in Graduates

UNI is a medium-sized public university located in the city of Cedar Falls. A Best Colleges rank of #199 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UNI is a great university overall.

There were roughly 50 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at UNI in the most recent data year. Design & Applied Arts degree recipients from University of Northern Iowa get an earnings boost of around $3,561 over the typical income of design & applied arts majors.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from University of Northern Iowa

8
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In NE
38 Design Degrees Awarded

Located in the large city of Lincoln, UNL is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #138 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UNL is a great university overall.

There were approximately 38 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at UNL in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from University of Nebraska - Lincoln

9
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
42 Design Degrees Awarded
$39,469 Median Starting Salary

Maryville U is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Saint Louis. A Best Colleges rank of #202 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Maryville U is a great university overall.

There were approximately 42 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Maryville U in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the design & applied arts degree program at Maryville University of Saint Louis get $8,230 more than the typical graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Maryville University of Saint Louis

10
Century College crest
Century College
White Bear Lake, MN
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
62 Design Degrees Awarded
$38,605 Median Starting Salary

Century College is a moderately-sized public college located in the large suburb of White Bear Lake. This college ranks 19th out of 52 schools for overall quality in the state of Minnesota.

There were about 62 design & applied arts students who graduated with this degree at Century College in the most recent data year. Design & Applied Arts degree recipients from Century College receive an earnings boost of about $7,366 over the average income of design & applied arts graduates.

More information about a degree in design & applied arts from Century College

Best Design & Applied Arts Colleges by State

Explore the best design & applied arts colleges for a specific state in the Plains States Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Minnesota 284 533
Missouri 283 430
Kansas 266 228
Iowa 264 479
Nebraska 238 223
North Dakota 210 36
South Dakota 204 57

View All Rankings >

One of 10 majors within the Visual & Performing Arts area of study, Design & Applied Arts has other similar majors worth exploring.

Design Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Graphic Design 808
Interior Design 415
Visual Communications 374
Commercial & Advertising Art 341
Commercial Photography 105
Industrial Design 88
Illustration 87
Game & Interactive Media Design 41
Fashion Design 36
Other Design & Applied Arts 32

View All Design Concentrations >

Majors Similar to Design

Related Major Annual Graduates
Fine & Studio Arts 1,752
Music 1,308
Drama & Theater Arts 951
Film, Video & Photographic Arts 540
General Visual & Performing Arts 302
Dance 112
Arts & Media Management 68
Other Visual Art 21

View All Design Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options