New Hampshire · Design and Applied Arts

Best colleges for Design and Applied Arts in New Hampshire

Ranked by graduate earnings

New England College, Keene State College and Manchester Community College award the most Design and Applied Arts degrees and certificates in New Hampshire: 17, 14 and 9 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 9 New Hampshire colleges offer Design and Applied Arts and award 1,015 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Design and Applied Arts program focuses on the intersection of design and practical application, teaching students how to create aesthetically pleasing objects for everyday use. This program is ideal for individuals interested in…

Institutions
9
offering CIP 50.04
States & territories
53
with a program page
Degrees / yr
1,015
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$34,947
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
2
College Scorecard
Median net price
$30,086
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
50%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Graphic Designers
$67,240
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 2 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Southern New Hampshire University
Manchester Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Online
$35,87895843%$34,565$33,260
2Keene State College
Keene Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$34,9471460%—$25,371

Colleges awarding the most Design and Applied Arts degrees in New Hampshire

Top 8 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1New England College
Henniker Private not-for-profit
17Not reported
2Keene State College
Keene Public
14$34,947
3Manchester Community College
Manchester Public
9Not reported
4Lakes Region Community College
Laconia Public
7Not reported
5Great Bay Community College
Portsmouth Public
5Not reported
6Colby-Sawyer College
New London Private not-for-profit
2Not reported
7Plymouth State University
Plymouth Public
2Not reported
8Saint Anselm College
Manchester Private not-for-profit
1Not reported
Show the other 1 New Hampshire colleges offering Design and Applied Arts
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Southern New Hampshire University (Online)ManchesterPrivate not-for-profit958

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Graphic Designers (SOC 27-1024).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+2.1%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~20,000
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$61,300
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Active ListeningSpeakingCritical ThinkingWritingActive LearningReading Comprehension

What Graphic Designers earn in New Hampshire

Jobs in New Hampshire
790
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$67,240
median $60,490
Best-paying metro
$62,930
Manchester-Nashua, NH

Related careers

Graphic Designers
$67,240 avg · 790 jobs
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary
$88,570 avg · 440 jobs
Web and Digital Interface Designers
$106,270 avg · 430 jobs
Interior Designers
$64,750 avg · 300 jobs
Photographers
$49,740 avg · 220 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Design and Applied Arts programs in New Hampshire.

Which New Hampshire colleges award the most Design and Applied Arts degrees?+

New England College (17 graduates a year), Keene State College (14 graduates a year) and Manchester Community College (9 graduates a year) award the most Design and Applied Arts degrees and certificates in New Hampshire, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 9 New Hampshire colleges offer Design and Applied Arts.

How much do Graphic Designers earn in New Hampshire?+

The average annual wage for Graphic Designers in New Hampshire is $67,240 (median $60,490), across about 790 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Design and Applied Arts program?+

The Design and Applied Arts program focuses on the intersection of design and practical application, teaching students how to create aesthetically pleasing objects for everyday use. This program is ideal for individuals interested in…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop active listening, speaking, critical thinking, writing, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Graphic Designers?+

The national job outlook is about +2.1% growth with around 20,000 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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