Top Graphic Design Programs in California

If you aren’t quite sure what the difference between a “top” graphic design school and a “best” graphic design school is, you’re not alone. Each year multiple “best schools” and “top schools” lists are published online, yet many of the same schools often end up on each list. What’s even more interesting is, the factors used to determine which schools should make either list are quite different. Further, the publishers of each list are quite the opposite too. Students, alumni, bloggers, and other similar groups usually create top lists, while best lists are typically published by organizations such as Princeton Review, Forbes, and U.S. News & World Report.

To determine which schools belong on the “best” list, factors such as the types of program offerings, graduation and retention rates, peer assessment, faculty resources (student-teacher ratio), financial resources, and student selectivity are considered. A top school makes the cut based on issues such as cost, convenience, career placement services, quality of facilities and equipment, number of recreational opportunities, and variety social clubs. Fortunately, the schools on the list below made both lists and they offer some of the greatest graphic design programs in the U.S.

Continue reading to find out which graphic design school programs made just about every “top schools” list and what they have to offer. Please note that the top graphic design schools listed below are in order by student population from largest to smallest.

Top Graphic Design School Programs Southern California

Northridge
California State University Northridge
Student Population: 29,880
Backdrop: Urban, 356-acre campus, easy access to Los Angeles
Degrees Offered: B. A. Animation, Video/Digital art, Graphic Design, Illustration; M. A. Art, Studio Art Option with Video/Digital Art Concentration; Visual Communication Option with Illustration or Video/Digital Art Concentration; M. F. A. Art, Studio Art Option with Video/Digital Art Concentration; Visual Communication Option with Illustration, Video/Digital Art Concentration or Graphic Design Concentration

Long Beach
California State University Long Beach
Student Population: 27,436
Backdrop: Suburban, 320-acre campus, easy access to Los Angeles
Degrees Offered: B. A. and B. F. A. in Art with Graphic Design or Illustration Option; M. F. A. Art with Concentration in Studio Art: - Graphic Design or Illustration/Animation Track

Los Angeles
Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM)
Student Population: 7,500
Backdrop: Urban, 4-acre campus
Degrees Offered: A. A. in Digital Media, Graphic Design (Branding or Entertainment); many students go on to earn their B. S. degrees in Business Management

Loyola Marymount University
Student Population: 6,069
Backdrop: Urban, 150-acre campus overlooking Los Angeles
Degrees Offered:  B. A. Animation, Studio Arts with Graphic Design Emphasis

Orange
Chapman University
Student Population: 4,910
Backdrop: Suburban, 76-acre campus
Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Digital Arts with Emphasis in Animation or Visual Effects; Graphic Design; Studio Art: New Genres

Irvine
Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising
Student Population: 4,000+
Backdrop: Urban
Degrees Offered: A. A. in Digital Media, Graphic Design (Branding or Entertainment); many students go on to earn their B. S. degrees in Business Management

La Mirada
Biola University
Student Population: 3,989
Backdrop: Suburban, 95-care campus, easy access to Los Angeles
Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Art with Design Concentration

Pasadena
Art Center College of Design
Student Population: 1,485
Backdrop: Suburban, 175-acre hillside campus
Degrees Offered: B. S. Entertainment Design; B. F. A. Graphic Design; B. F. A. Illustration

Burbank
Woodbury University
Student Population: 1,282
Backdrop: Suburban, 22-acre campus, easy access to Los Angeles
Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Animation, Graphic Design

Los Angeles
Otis College of Art and Design
Student Population: 997
Backdrop: Urban, 5-acre campus
Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Graphic Design, Illustration, Digital Media; M. F. A. Graphic Design

Valencia
California Institute of the Arts
Student Population: 895
Backdrop: Suburban, 60-acre campus, easy access to Los Angeles
Degrees Offered:  B. F. A. Art, Graphic Design, Character Animation or Experimental Animation; M. F. A. Graphic Design (with or without specialization in Motion Graphics), Art and Technology, Experimental

Laguna Beach
Laguna College of Art and Design
Student Population: 450
Backdrop: Small beach town, 9-acre campus, easy access to Newport Beach, Irvine
Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Graphic Design, Illustration, Game Art, Animation

San Diego
Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising
Student Population: 292
Backdrop: Urban, 4-acre campus
Degrees Offered: A. A. in Digital Media, Graphic Design (Branding or Entertainment); many students go on to earn their B. S. degrees in Business Management

Top Graphic Design School Programs Northern California

San Jose
San Jose State University
Student Population: 23,021
Backdrop: Urban, 104-acre campus
Degrees Offered: B. A. Art: Design Studies with emphasis in Graphic Design, B. F. A. Art: Animation/Illustration, B. F. A. Art: Digital Media Art, B. F. A. Graphic Design; M. F. A. Art: Digital Media Art Concentration

Chico
California State University Chico
Student Population: 14,758
Backdrop: Small city, 119-acre campus, easy access to Sacramento
Degrees Offered:  B. A. Communication Design – Graphic Design Option; B. F. A. Electronic Arts – Computer Animation Studio Pattern

San Francisco
Academy of Art University
Student Population: 11,205
Backdrop: Urban, 3-acre campus
Degrees Offered: A. A., B. F. A., M. F. A. Animation and Visual Effects; B. F. A., M. F. A. Game Design; A. A., B. F. A., M. F. A. Graphic Design; A. A., B. F. A., M. F. A. Illustration

California College of the Arts
Student Population: 1,502
Backdrop: Urban, 4-acre campus
Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Animation, Graphic Design, Illustration; M. F. A. Design

Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising
Student Population: 960
Backdrop: Urban, 4-acre campus
Degrees Offered: A. A. in Digital Media, Graphic Design (Branding or Entertainment); many students go on to earn their B. S. degrees in Business Management

San Francisco Art Institute
Student Population: 353
Backdrop: Urban, 3-acre campus
Degrees Offered: B. F. A Design and Technology, New Genres

Sources

Peterson’s, www.petersons.com
Princeton Review, www.princetonreview.com
U.S. News and World Report College Rankings, www.usnews.com/rankings