New York · Design and Applied Arts

Best institutions to study Design and Applied Arts in New York

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
60
offering CIP 50.04
States & territories
53
with a program page
Degrees / yr
4,525
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$34,677
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
26
College Scorecard
Median net price
$27,359
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
50%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Graphic Designers
$82,410
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Syracuse University
Syracuse Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$46,18112484%$28,851$27,000
2Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$36,1914684%$28,900$25,000
3Pratt Institute - Main
Brooklyn Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$36,04033374%$49,088$26,000
4Russell Sage College
Troy Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$35,2941556%$22,451$27,000
5Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$34,70917670%$28,133$27,000
6State University of New York at New Paltz
New Paltz Public · Bachelor's degree
$34,6773172%$22,879
7Nazareth University
Rochester Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$33,461873%$27,945$23,250
8State University of New York at Oswego
Oswego Public · Bachelor's degree
$32,5462260%$26,530
9LIM College
New York Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$31,8851151%$37,014$27,000
10Marist University
Poughkeepsie Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$28,3364980%$33,867$26,929

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 York

Jobs in New York
14,530
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$82,410
median $77,340
Best-paying metro
$85,950
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ

Related careers

Web and Digital Interface Designers
$129,990 avg · 16,560 jobs
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary
$128,810 avg · 14,920 jobs
Graphic Designers
$82,410 avg · 14,530 jobs
Art Directors
$159,200 avg · 8,720 jobs
Fashion Designers
$111,740 avg · 5,760 jobs
Interior Designers
$75,510 avg · 5,340 jobs

Common questions

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

Which Design and Applied Arts program in New York has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Syracuse University tops the list at $46,181. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Graphic Designers earn in New York?+

The average annual wage for Graphic Designers in New York is $82,410 (median $77,340), across about 14,530 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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