New Mexico · Design and Applied Arts

Best colleges for Design and Applied Arts in New Mexico

Ranked by graduates a year

Central New Mexico Community College, San Juan College and Western New Mexico University award the most Design and Applied Arts degrees and certificates in New Mexico: 11, 8 and 8 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 8 New Mexico colleges offer Design and Applied Arts and award 56 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
8
offering CIP 50.04
States & territories
53
with a program page
Degrees / yr
56
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
—
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
0
College Scorecard
Median net price
—
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
28%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Graphic Designers
$57,870
BLS OEWS May 2025

8 institutions offering Design and Applied Arts in New Mexico

Graduate earnings are not yet reported for these institutions; ordered by graduates a year.

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
1Central New Mexico Community College
Albuquerque Public
—1131%——
2New Mexico State University - Dona Ana
Las Cruces Public
—919%——
3San Juan College
Farmington Public
—837%——
4Western New Mexico University
Silver City Public
—832%——
5Eastern New Mexico University - Roswell Campus
Roswell Public
—732%——
6Santa Fe Community College
Santa Fe Public
—623%——
7Clovis Community College
Clovis Public
—534%——
8New Mexico State University - Alamogordo
Alamogordo Public
—214%——

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

Top 5 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)
1Central New Mexico Community College
Albuquerque Public
11Not reported
2San Juan College
Farmington Public
8Not reported
3Western New Mexico University
Silver City Public
8Not reported
4Eastern New Mexico University - Roswell Campus
Roswell Public
7Not reported
5Clovis Community College
Clovis Public
5Not reported
Show the other 3 New Mexico colleges offering Design and Applied Arts
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
New Mexico State University - Dona AnaLas CrucesPublic9
Santa Fe Community CollegeSanta FePublic6
New Mexico State University - AlamogordoAlamogordoPublic2

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 Mexico

Jobs in New Mexico
850
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$57,870
median $56,730
Best-paying metro
$61,520
Albuquerque, NM

Related careers

Graphic Designers
$57,870 avg · 850 jobs
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary
$82,990 avg · 380 jobs
Photographers
$58,220 avg · 230 jobs
Web and Digital Interface Designers
$66,150 avg · 200 jobs
Commercial and Industrial Designers
$70,860 avg · 110 jobs

Common questions

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

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

Central New Mexico Community College (11 graduates a year), San Juan College (8 graduates a year) and Western New Mexico University (8 graduates a year) award the most Design and Applied Arts degrees and certificates in New Mexico, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 8 New Mexico colleges offer Design and Applied Arts.

How much do Graphic Designers earn in New Mexico?+

The average annual wage for Graphic Designers in New Mexico is $57,870 (median $56,730), across about 850 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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