### SUMMARY

 Studying Design and Visual Communications is a valuable choice and frequently a necessary first step for undergrads desiring to pursue a career as a visual communications designer, an user experience designer, or a product designer. In fact, design and visual communications is pretty common ranking as the 117th most popular area of study. Last year, there were 2,884 design and visual communications graduates. In-state tuition for design and visual communications at private colleges is, on average, 3.8 times more pricey than their public peers.

 There are 151 universities that offer design and visual communications. This number of institutions is fairly average in terms of the number of institutions which offer each degree. If you are hoping to immerse yourself with other design and visual communications students, consider looking at colleges in California which have the most students admitted to design and visual communications annually. Zooming out, the top region to study design and visual communications is in the Far West region with [California State University-Chico](/colleges/california-state-university-chico), [University of California-Davis](/colleges/university-of-california-davis), and [San Francisco State University](/colleges/san-francisco-state-university) best representing the region. Interestingly, our pick of the best conference to study design and visual communications is the Big Twelve Conference with [Iowa State University](/colleges/iowa-state-university), [University of Kansas](/colleges/university-of-kansas), and [West Virginia University](/colleges/west-virginia-university) representing the conference. On that topic, our choice for the best school for design and visual communications is [Washington University in St Louis](/colleges/washington-university-in-st-louis). You might also want to check out our list of the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges).

 The objectively best school might not actually be the best school for you. There can be a bunch of factors to think about when deciding on institution. Features such as campus amenities, transportation services, and food might definitely affect one's feelings of where to go to college. Here at authority.org, we have evaluated the pros and cons for you. If, as an example, you are interested in which design and visual communications university boasts the best campus, the answer is [Rutgers University-New Brunswick](/colleges/rutgers-university-new-brunswick). If, for example, you are mostly interested in which college boasts the finest campus, we have a whole list [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through professor reviews, government databases, student reviews, and more to compare each major in an unbiased and informative way. You can explore our well researched list for the colleges with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbsphere and from that list, our choice of the university with the best student life for design and visual communications is [Washington University in St Louis](/colleges/washington-university-in-st-louis). Are you curious why? Keep scrolling to learn more about our top selections. Many of our decisions just might shock you.

 If cost is a primary factor in your choice of where you attend college, you might consider avoiding [Carnegie Mellon University](/colleges/carnegie-mellon-university). [Carnegie Mellon University](/colleges/carnegie-mellon-university)&nbspis our most expensive school for design and visual communications, at least regarding out of state students. We do have an entire list of the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspschools that might put the price tag at [Carnegie Mellon University](/colleges/carnegie-mellon-university)&nbspinto perspective. Additionally, you may be interested to know that design and visual communications is the 159th most expensive degree in the nation, with an average associated cost of $33,100. On a broader scale, the most costly state for design and visual communications in the nation is Illinois with expenses at the primary college, Loyola University Chicago, of $44,105. To zoom out even further, the most costly region for design and visual communications is the Mid East region which is best demonstrated with [Syracuse University](/colleges/syracuse-university) with a cost of $50,616, [Carnegie Mellon University](/colleges/carnegie-mellon-university) with a cost of $55,816, and [Lehigh University](/colleges/lehigh-university) with a cost of $54,790.

 Our cheapest region for design and visual communications is the Rocky Mountains region which is represented by [Metropolitan State University of Denver](/colleges/metropolitan-state-university-of-denver) with a cost of $20,009, [Brigham Young University-Provo](/colleges/brigham-young-university-provo) with a cost of $5,790, and [Utah Valley University](/colleges/utah-valley-university) with a cost of $15,872. In better news, the most affordable school for design and visual communications is [Brigham Young University-Provo](/colleges/brigham-young-university-provo). Our full list of the most affordable colleges can be found [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state students can anticipate paying about $10,400 for a degree in design and visual communications. That price balloons significantly to a median of $24,900 for an out-of-state public-school student. On that note, our pick for the university with the best value for design and visual communications: [University of Notre Dame](/colleges/university-of-notre-dame). Here you can see our comprehensive list for the colleges we believe to be the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspin general. Do know, this list is predicated on out-of-state tuition costs. A discussion of value changes when it comes to in-state tuition, but we do not know in which states any one student has residency.

 Earnings for design and visual communications majors differ a lot, but two years after graduation graduates will regularly make in the neighborhood of $56,100. There can be a lot of variation in earnings; top positions can rake in up to $96,300. Right out of college, the lowest end jobs within the design and visual communications field make $33,000, which could be worse. The highest earning grads for design and visual communications come from [Lehigh University](/colleges/lehigh-university)&nbspand if you are looking for universities with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), we have that too.

 The prevailing diversity of design and visual communications is on the higher end, ranking within the 70th percentile of all majors. The school with the highest composite diversity for design and visual communications is [Carnegie Mellon University](/colleges/carnegie-mellon-university)&nbspand here you can find our general list for the colleges with the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The overall financial diversity of the Design and Visual Communications major only ranks within the 82nd percentile compared to all other majors. Racial diversity is even less in the 65th percentile. White undergraduates make up the largest proportion, 56%, of scholars majoring in design and visual communications. Additionally, 67% of students pursuing a design and visual communications major are women.

 The median ranking for design and visual communications professors is 4 stars, which is surprisingly the average for every major; this is a fine. If you are looking for the most popular design and visual communications professor in the nation, look no further than John Arthos from [Indiana University-Bloomington](/colleges/indiana-university-bloomington). This may come as a shock, but the highest rated instructors for design and visual communications by student come from [Indiana University-Bloomington](/colleges/indiana-university-bloomington). As we consider data other than just rankings it becomes clear that the school with the overall best instructors for design and visual communications is [University of Notre Dame](/colleges/university-of-notre-dame). You can find an explanation of our ever evolving ranking methodology for the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), along with some of the finest examples of instructors nationwide.

 Finally, the most difficult college to get into for design and visual communications is [Washington University in St Louis](/colleges/washington-university-in-st-louis). While we are unsure why you would be interested, we do have a comprehensive page of the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). That being said, we do hope you believe that looking at the higher education world with a lens primarily informed by superlatives could cause problems. We hope you look at some of our other pages on different colleges and explore a few of Authority's helpful background pages on useful things to look out for as you continue your college search.



 ### POPULARITY

 Design and visual communications is the 117th most popular degree in America, with 2,884 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #118 [Clinical Nutrition Services](/rankings/best-colleges-for-clinical-nutrition-services), and narrowly lost to #116 [Bible Studies](/rankings/best-colleges-for-bible-studies).

 The degree is offered at a total of 151 colleges across the nation, and is the 120th most widely offered degree. It is only offered at 9% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America.

 It is also worth noting that close to 4/7ths of colleges offering design and visual communications are public making it a pretty accessible field.

 The far west produces the most design and visual communications graduates, largely led by [California State University-Chico](/colleges/california-state-university-chico), while it’s the Big Twelve Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, California ranks highest, with particular help from [California State University-Chico](/colleges/california-state-university-chico) and [University of California-Davis](/colleges/university-of-california-davis).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more design and visual communications graduates than [Chattahoochee Valley Community College](/colleges/chattahoochee-valley-community-college), which graduated 198 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study design and visual communications). More students studied design and visual communications as a percentage of total students at [Cornish College of the Arts](/colleges/cornish-college-of-the-arts) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Design and visual communications is the 159th most expensive degree in the US, with a median cost of $33,080 among the top 50 programs (just ahead of #160, [Japanese Language and Literature](rankings/best-colleges-for-japanese-language-and-literature), with a median cost of $32,996).

 The Mid East has the most expensive schools with top 50 design and visual communications programs led by [Syracuse University](/colleges/syracuse-university) with an annual cost of $52,210. Illinois is the most expensive state for design and visual communications led by [Loyola University Chicago](/colleges/loyola-university-chicago).

 Public schools with good programs by and large charge 73.67% less than private schools for in-state students. However, when looking at out-of-state tuition, the median top 50 Public school charges 37.13% less than the median private school. So, if you're looking into studying at a state school, make sure you're eligible for in-state tuition as soon as possible.

 The most expensive option in the top 25 is [Carnegie Mellon University](/colleges/carnegie-mellon-university), which is the 42nd most expensive college in the United States. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [Brigham Young University-Provo](/colleges/brigham-young-university-provo). It costs just $5,790 per year, and it is ranked 9th for its design and visual communications program. Another more affordable option would be #24, [Farmingdale State College](/colleges/farmingdale-state-college) in Suffolk County, NY with a cost of $7,070 for in-state students and $16,980 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 Starting college is a large investment for most. It is important to lack doubt you get a good return on your investment. It is our goal that the following career and earnings information help you make an informed decision when choosing your major.

 Fresh out of school, Design and Visual Communications graduates bring home $30,102 a year on average (bottom 20%). With experience in their professional lives, they predominantly make something between $33,015 and $96,288, but average close to $56,143. Just so you know, that's 45% above the national average.

 The most common job placement for a Design and Visual Communications graduate is Analyst, which predominantly earn about $54,000; next are Account Executive and Sales Consultant, which normally make close to $36,000 and $36,000 respectively.

 The Far West has the highest earning Design and Visual Communications graduates. OR has the best paid Design and Visual Communications graduates of any state. The highest grossing conference for Design and Visual Communications graduates is University Athletic Association.



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Design and Visual Communications: Median Professor Rating: 4 / 5, which is below average.

 Instructors always have a mighty influence your college experience, no matter what you study. A thought-provoking teacher may help a student find their passion and even make a difficult subject seem fun. On the flip side, a bad professor can disenchant you from an entire field or even worse... flunk you!

 Professors of Design and Visual Communications have a median student rating of 4 out of 5, which puts these professors in the upper 66th percentile in the nation grounded in student approval. Suprisingly, this major is exactly the median for professor rating, which, in our opinion, is remarkably average! Professors of Design and Visual Communications slightly surpassed those from ["Pharmacology and Toxicology"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-pharmacology-and-toxicology), whereas ["Community Organization and Advocacy"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-community-organization-and-advocacy)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Design and Visual Communications.

 Now for some statistics about Design and Visual Communications professors. Colleges located in large citys tend to have the best Design and Visual Communications professors. The California Collegiate Athletic Association has the highest rated Design and Visual Communications professors. The Far West region has the highest rated Design and Visual Communications professors. Private schools tend to have higher rated Design and Visual Communications professors than public institutions. Finally, California has the highest rated Design and Visual Communications professors in the nation.

 John Arthos, professor at [Indiana University-Bloomington](/colleges/indiana-university-bloomington)&nbspin Bloomington, IN is the most popular Design and Visual Communications professor in the US. Deborah Fowler, professor at [Savannah College of Art and Design](/colleges/savannah-college-of-art-and-design)&nbspin Savannah, GA is the highest rated Design and Visual Communications professor in the US, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 Learn which colleges have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College can be an exceedingly momentous adventure in one's life; it is an opportunity for individual growth and development. Scholars begin to discover their values and learn the necessary skills to be a halcyon member of society. But growth is deeper than what one learns in a classroom environment - the campus dialogue, the funny story learned from an eccentric instructor, the exposure to a different way of thinking. As such, a diverse campus tremendously enriches what one gains from the time in school.

 Design and Visual Communications is a slightly more racially diverse focus than average\*. 56% of the nation's Design and Visual Communications majors are white students, followed by students of other races\*\*(15%), latino students (13%), and asian students (11%). The most ethnically diverse college\* in the top 100 is [Otis College of Art and Design](/colleges/otis-college-of-art-and-design)&nbspin Los Angeles, CA.

 Additionally, Design and Visual Communications significatly skews female, with a bit greater than two thirds of students majoring in Design and Visual Communications identifying as women. [Millersville University of Pennsylvania](/colleges/millersville-university-of-pennsylvania) in Millersville, PA has the most gender balanced student body in the top 100.

 Another critical type of diversity is economic diversity. Design and Visual Communications ranks in the top 18% of programs for income diversity. 28% of its students come from homes making more than $110,000 a year, 17% are from homes who earn between $48,000 and $75,000 a year, and 24% grew up in households earning less than $30,000 a year. [Drury University](/colleges/drury-university) is the most socioeconomically diverse institution in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall CA is the most diverse state for Design and Visual Communications. The Mid East is the most diverse region, and the West Coast Conference is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 11%
* Black: 4%
* Latino: 13%
* White: 56%
* Other: 15%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 33%
* Female: 67%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 24%
* 30k - 48k: 15%
* 48k - 75k: 17%
* 75k - 110k: 16%
* Over 110k: 28%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 68%
* Out of State: 26%
* International: 6%


University of California-Los Angeles

The University of Texas at Austin

Washington University in St Louis

University of Notre Dame

Carnegie Mellon University

Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

Southern Methodist University

University of Southern California

Northeastern University

Lehigh University

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Purdue University-Main Campus

University of California-San Diego

University of Maryland-College Park

University of California-Davis

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Brigham Young University

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Indiana University-Bloomington

Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Texas Christian University

University of Utah

Search for the best Design and Visual Communications colleges according to your filter parameters.

Top 25 Best Colleges for Design and Visual Communications

Design and Visual Communications

Best Colleges for Design and Visual Communications

There are about 23,326 students enrolled in Design and Visual Communications in the USA.

2024 Best Colleges for Design and Visual Communications

2023 Design and Visual Communications Professors

There are about 23,326 students enrolled in Design and Visual Communications in the USA.

PROFESSORS