Utah · Design and Applied Arts

Best colleges for Design and Applied Arts in Utah

Ranked by graduate earnings

Utah State University, Weber State University and Brigham Young University are the top bachelor's Design and Applied Arts programs in Utah by graduate earnings. Utah State University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $52,431, College Scorecard. Utah Valley University, Ensign College and University of Utah award the most Design and Applied Arts degrees in Utah: 1,052, 75 and 75 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 10 Utah colleges offer Design and Applied Arts and award 1,509 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
10
offering CIP 50.04
States & territories
53
with a program page
Degrees / yr
1,509
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$34,227
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
5
College Scorecard
Median net price
$11,580
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
55%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Graphic Designers
$67,600
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 4 bachelor's programs, 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
1Utah State University
Logan Public · Bachelor's degree
$52,4314159%——
2Weber State University
Ogden Public · Bachelor's degree
$40,5074646%—$21,851
3Brigham Young University
Provo Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$33,9157081%$13,712$13,000
4Utah Valley University
Orem Public · Bachelor's degree
$31,8881,05245%—$14,057

Top certificate or associate program

Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.

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
1Salt Lake Community College
Salt Lake City Public · Associate degree
$34,2278629%—$10,766

Colleges awarding the most Design and Applied Arts degrees in Utah

Top 8 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, 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)
1Utah Valley University
Orem Public
1,052$31,888
2Ensign College
Salt Lake City Private not-for-profit
75Not reported
3University of Utah
Salt Lake City Public
75Not reported
4Brigham Young University
Provo Private not-for-profit
70$33,915
5Weber State University
Ogden Public
46$40,507
6Utah State University
Logan Public
41$52,431
7Southern Utah University
Cedar City Public
23Not reported
8Bridgerland Technical College
Logan Public
12Not reported
Show the other 2 Utah colleges offering Design and Applied Arts
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Salt Lake Community CollegeSalt Lake CityPublic86
Western Governors University (Online)Salt Lake CityPrivate not-for-profit29

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 Utah

Jobs in Utah
2,720
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$67,600
median $62,310
Best-paying metro
$71,300
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT

Related careers

Graphic Designers
$67,600 avg · 2,720 jobs
Interior Designers
$66,290 avg · 1,110 jobs
Web and Digital Interface Designers
$106,760 avg · 1,060 jobs
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary
$74,560 avg · 790 jobs
Photographers
$51,290 avg · 660 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Design and Applied Arts programs in Utah.

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

Utah Valley University (1,052 graduates a year), Ensign College (75 graduates a year) and University of Utah (75 graduates a year) award the most Design and Applied Arts degrees in Utah, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 10 Utah colleges offer Design and Applied Arts.

What is the best college for Design and Applied Arts in Utah?+

By graduate earnings, Utah State University leads among bachelor's Design and Applied Arts programs in Utah, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $52,431, College Scorecard. Weber State University and Brigham Young University follow. By degrees awarded, Utah Valley University is the largest, with 1,052 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Utah State University tops the list at $52,431. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Graphic Designers earn in Utah?+

The average annual wage for Graphic Designers in Utah is $67,600 (median $62,310), across about 2,720 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.

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card