| Ranking | School | State |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Washington | Washington |
| 2 | University of Michigan | Michigan |
| 3 | Georgia Institute of Technology | Georgia |
| 4 | San Jose State University | California |
| 5 | Arizona State University | Arizona |
| 6 | University of Maryland | Maryland |
| 7 | University of Texas at Austin | Texas |
| 8 | Purdue University | Indiana |
| 9 | University of California, Irvine | California |
| 10 | University of California, Berkeley | California |
Our 2025 rankings of the Top 10 public graduate UX/UI/HCI school programs in the US. For an explanation of ranking criteria, click here.
The College of Engineering at University of Washington (UW) houses the Human Centered Design and Engineering (HCDE) Department. Within the department are three programs for students seeking a graduate UX/UI/HCI program. These include MS and PhD degrees in HCDE, and a graduate certificate in User-Centered Design (UCD). Through several schools and departments (joint-initiative), UW also provides a Master of Human-Computer Interaction and Design (MHCI + D). UW HCDE and MHCI + D graduates go on to land leadership roles at places such as Boeing, Intel, Microsoft, Cisco, Apple, Disney, NBCUniversal, Amazon, Google, IBM, GE, T-Mobile, Adobe, Verizon, Accenture, and RTX Corporation.
University of Michigan (U-M) is home to the School of Information (UMSI). Within the school is an Information MS (MSI) with a UX Research and Design pathway. The school’s largest program, the MSI is an interdisciplinary degree that highlights experiential learning; hands-on projects; internships; and dual degree options across more than 90 U-M programs. The MSI program culminates with a final project. With a near-perfect success rate, graduates are routinely hired at places such as the U.S. Department of Labor, Microsoft, Cisco, Epic, IBM, Amazon, Google, JPMorgan Chase, Deloitte, Samsung, EY, Ford, Lilly, Meta, Walmart, Goldman Sachs, Nike, PNC, Visa, Transunion, and Humana.
The College of Computing (CC) at Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is one of the largest technology colleges in the U.S. In collaboration with the Schools of Industrial Design; Psychology; Literature, Media, and Communication (LMC); and Industrial Design, the CC provides a multidisciplinary Human-Computer Interaction MS (MS-HCI) program with a mandatory internship. Students also have the opportunity to earn a Technology Management certificate from the College of Management. Georgia Tech MS-HCI graduates have been hired at places such as NASA, Boeing, Microsoft, Amazon, NVIDIA, Intel, Disney, IBM, Samsung, Google, Apple, Cisco, Meta, Autodesk, Delta Air Lines, and eBay.
San Jose State University (San Jose State or SJSU) provides two graduate level UX/UI/HCI programs across two colleges. The College of Humanities and the Arts (Department of Design) houses a Master of Design (MDes) with a specialization in Experience Design (XD). The College of Engineering houses the Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE) MS (MS HFE) with a User Experience (UX) concentration. This program also allows students to add a Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) emphasis. The MDes culminates with a public showing of a master’s project, while MS HFE students may choose a project or thesis for the culminating experience. Across programs, graduates have been hired at places such as NASA, Oracle, Amazon, IBM, Google, Lockheed Martin, Cisco, Intel, Northrop Grumman, and Adobe.
Arizona State University’s (ASU) Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering is the nation’s largest engineering program and home to the User Experience MS (UX MS). This STEM-designated program can be completed on campus or online. Course examples include User Experience; Usability and User Experience; and Foundations of Human Systems Engineering. The program culminates with a UX capstone project. Graduates can be found at places such as Amazon, Intel, Apple, Dell, and Google.
University of Maryland (UMD) is home to the College of Information Studies (INFO College or iSchool), which houses the Human-Computer Interaction (HCIM) MS program. All HCIM students have the opportunity to participate in projects, internships, and campus events with partners such as the U.S. Department of Defense, Microsoft, and Google. The program culminates with a two-semester capstone project. HCIM alumni go on to land positions at places such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Microsoft, Google, Amazon, JPMorganChase, IBM, The New York Times, Deloitte, Northrup Grumman, American Airlines, Cisco, PwC, Capital One, Meta, PBS, EY, Accenture, Morgan Stanley, and Ericsson.
The School of Information (ISchool) at University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) houses an Information Studies MS (MSIS) program that allows students to customize a plan of study from 17 different options. Examples include User Experience (UX) Design; Human-Centered Data Science; and User Experience (UX) Research. The program also allows students to obtain one or more certifications and earn a dual degree. Other program benefits include internship opportunities; access to two labs including the Information eXperience Lab (IX Lab) and the Immersive Human Development Lab; and study abroad experiences in places such as Japan and South Korea. UT Austin graduates are routinely hired at places such as IBM, Lockheed Martin, Amazon, Dell, Boeing, Goldman Sachs, Chevron, EY, Wells Fargo, GM, and Accenture.
Purdue University (Purdue) is home to Purdue Polytechnic Institute, which houses the School of Applied and Creative Computing. Within the school is a Computer Graphics Technology MS (CGT MS) and a Technology PhD. Both programs allow students to concentrate in UX Design. All students may participate in the Experience Studios at Purdue, which provide opportunities to work with partners such as Microsoft, Dolby, and Uline. Purdue Polytechnic graduates go on to land leadership roles at places such as Boeing, Microsoft, Google, Deloitte, Amazon, DreamWorks, Cisco, JPMorganChase, and Dell.
University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine or UCI) is home to the Donald Bren School of Informatics and Computer Sciences (ICS). Within the school is the Department of Informatics, which houses the world’s only one-year, mixed format, low-residency Master of Human-Computer Interaction and Design (MHCID). Course examples include User Needs Analysis; Design and Prototyping; User Experience and Evaluation; Innovations in HCI and Design; and Interactive Technology Studio. All students have the opportunity to complete projects with industry partners such as Blizzard Entertainment, Google, and Boeing. Graduates have been hired at place such as Cisco, Amazon, Microsoft, Disney, EY, and Google.
University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) houses the School of Information (I School). One of the institution’s newest professional schools, the I School provides a Master of Information Management and Systems (MIMS) with a specialization in HCI and UX Design, and an Information Science PhD with an HCI study area. All students have access to labs such as the XR Lab@Berkeley; the student-run Extended Reality@Berkeley lab; and the FHL Vive Center for Enhanced Reality. UC Berkeley I School graduates are routinely hired at places such as Microsoft, Google, Apple, IDEO, Riot Games, Amazon, Visa, and Adobe.
