Washington · Design and Applied Arts

Best institutions to study Design and Applied Arts in Washington

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
21
offering CIP 50.04
States & territories
53
with a program page
Degrees / yr
568
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$31,078
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
9
College Scorecard
Median net price
$24,653
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
51%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Graphic Designers
$77,910
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 9 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

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

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of Washington - Seattle Campus
Seattle Public · Bachelor's degree
$63,4494285%$12,250
2Bellevue College
Bellevue Public · Bachelor's degree
$45,9476136%$33,660
3Washington State University
Pullman Public · Bachelor's degree
$44,8236660%$22,802
4Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$39,2482962%$24,653$26,000
5Western Washington University
Bellingham Public · Bachelor's degree
$31,0785165%$20,000
6Seattle Central College
Seattle Public · Associate degree
$29,7754932%$14,085
7Walla Walla University
College Place Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$28,436560%$22,260$28,000
8Northwest College of Art & Design
Tacoma Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$27,6942658%$22,413$30,750
9Spokane Falls Community College
Spokane Public · Associate degree
$21,5083632%$14,657

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 Washington

Jobs in Washington
3,960
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$77,910
median $72,710
Best-paying metro
$82,290
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

Related careers

Web and Digital Interface Designers
$134,700 avg · 11,580 jobs
Graphic Designers
$77,910 avg · 3,960 jobs
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary
$79,670 avg · 1,400 jobs
Interior Designers
$81,360 avg · 1,330 jobs
Special Effects Artists and Animators
$141,450 avg · 1,130 jobs
Photographers
$56,270 avg · 960 jobs

Common questions

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

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), University of Washington - Seattle Campus tops the list at $63,449. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Graphic Designers earn in Washington?+

The average annual wage for Graphic Designers in Washington is $77,910 (median $72,710), across about 3,960 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