Top 25 Graphic Design Schools and Colleges on the West Coast – 2025 College Rankings

The Graphic Design Department at ArtCenter College of Design provides the unique opportunity for all enrolled students to study abroad at the school’s satellite studio—ArtCenter Berlin. Organized like a creative agency, the studio features industry partnerships; sponsored studios and collaborations; department led initiative; and transdisciplinary projects. All students also have opportunities to intern or network with companies and studios such as Amazon, Disney, Blizzard Entertainment, IBM, Apple, Microsoft, and Google. Degrees within the department include the Graphic Design (Gx) BFA and MFA (MGx). A Gx minor is also available. Across programs, graduates have gone on to land positions at places such as Disney, Apple, Dell, Riot Games, Adobe, Hermes, and DreamWorks Animation. 

California College of the Arts (CCA) has two paths to study graphic design including the Communication Design (CD) BFA and the Design MFA. The BFA highlights advanced studios that allow students to explore areas such as AR/VR, branding, motion design, and editorial publishing. The Design MFA focuses on graphic, industrial, and interaction design. Across programs, students also benefit from dedicated studio spaces, and access to facilities such as the Prototyping Studio and Hybrid Lab, and the Book Arts and Letterpress Studio. MFA students may participate in a yearly retreat at Headlands Center for the Arts. CCA design alumni have been hired at places such as Microsoft, Google, The New York Times, Apple, IBM, Adobe, Meta, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), and Pentagram. 

The Visual Communication Design (VCD) BDes at University of Washington (UW) is one of the school’s largest undergraduate programs. Housed in School of Art + Art History + Design (SoA+AH+D), the program highlights courses such as Corporate Identity; Exhibition Design; Advanced Typography; Interface Design; Visual Storytelling; and Publication Design. Some VCD BDes graduates have gone on to enroll in UW’s MDes program, while others go on to established careers at places such as Boeing, Nike, Microsoft, Google, T-Mobile, Starbucks, Amazon, REI, Accenture, EY, Nordstrom, and Alaska Airlines.

Founded in 1895, Roski School of Art and Design at University of Southern California (USC Roski) is one of Southern California’s oldest art and design schools. The school provides BFA and MFA degrees in Design; a BFA/MFA Design Progressive degree; and an interdisciplinary Communication Design minor. Program highlights include hands-on studio courses; internships at places such as DreamWorks and MTV; and study abroad experiences in South Africa, London, and Australia, among others. Roski graduates have gone on to land positions at places such as Microsoft, Pixar, Sony, Apple, Nike, Google, IDEO, DreamWorks, Vogue, Condé Nast, Meta, Disney, MTV, Cisco, NBCUniversal, Starbucks, Mattel, American Express, Wieden+Kennedy, Paramount, Macy’s, NPR, Deutsch, GUESS, and Atlassian.  

The College of the Arts at Portland State University (PSU) is the largest art school in the Pacific Northwest. Within the college is the Schnitzer School of Art + Art History + Design, which houses the Graphic Design BFA and minor programs. BFA students have the opportunity to work on projects for real clients through the Schnitzer School’s in-house studio A + D Projects. PSU's Business School has an Advertising minor for Graphic Design majors that provides additional opportunities for students to work with real clients through the Creative Strategy and Advertising Campaigns courses, and the on-campus advertising agency FIR. Graduates have gone on to land positions at places such as IBM, Wieden+Kennedy, Microsoft, Nike, Google, IDEO, Apple, R/GA, Adidas, Target, Snapchat, Columbia, Frito-Lay, and Interbrand.

The Department of Visual Arts at California State University, Fullerton (Cal State Fullerton) is home to the Art BFA, MA, and MFA programs. All students may concentrate in Graphic and Interactive Design. Other program benefits include workshops and seminars; visiting artists; access to state-of-the-art production facilities; professional career development services; internship opportunities; and portfolio critiques by leading artists and designers. Department of Visual Arts alumni have been hired at places such as Amazon, Nickelodeon, Lucasfilm, Saatchi & Saatchi, NBCUniversal, Apple, Disney Interactive, ABC, The Jim Henson Company, Electronic Arts (EA), Cartoon Network, PBS, and The Los Angeles Times. 

The School of Design at San Francisco State University (San Francisco State or SFSU) has several paths to study graphic design. Options include the Visual Communication Design BS (VCD BS); a Design minor with a VCD pathway; and an interdisciplinary Design MA with a customizable specialization. Program highlights for all options include collaborations with industry partners and community organizations; internships; participation in letterpress printing, interactive media, bookbinding, and rapid prototyping projects; access to DESIGNSPACE; and study abroad experiences at partner institutions such as Brunel University of London, Swinburne University of Technology (Australia), and Dublin Institute of Technology (Ireland). Graduates have gone on to establish careers at places such as Google, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Cisco, Apple, Kaiser Permanente, Oracle, Autodesk, Dropbox, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. 

California State University-Long Beach (CSULB or Cal State Long Beach) houses the School of Art (SoA). This is CSULB’s largest school. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) since 1970, the SoA has a Graphic Design BFA program that highlights summer study abroad workshops in places such as Berlin and Prague; internships at local and national companies; the guest artist series; and the opportunity to display works across seven customizable galleries. The program culminates with a final project and portfolio. Graduates can be found at places such as Mattel, Activision, Google, IDEO, Nike, Disney, Fox, Warner Bros. Discovery, Sony, Wolff Olins, Netfilx, and Vans.

Laguna College of Art and Design (LCAD) has several paths to study graphic design. Options include the Graphic Design + Digital Media (GD+DM) BFA; Graphic Design BFA with an Illustration emphasis; Graphic Design BFA an Action Sport Design emphasis; and the GD+DM minor that can be taken alone or with a related program. All students benefit from LCAD’s partnerships with companies such as Pixar, Saatchi & Saatchi, and Nike; small class sizes with courses taught by leading industry professionals; access to state-of-the-art studios and facilities; hands-on design projects; and internship opportunities. Graduates can be found at places such as The Smithsonian, Microsoft, Blizzard Entertainment, The New York Times, Kawasaki, Amazon, Google, Nintendo, Apple, Nike, Sony, NBCUniversal, Riot Games, Meta, and Target. 

The College of Arts and Letters at California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) houses the Department of Art. Accredited by National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the department provides Art BA and MFA degrees with a Design option. This includes Design Option Graphic Design/Visual Communication and Animation. All programs highlight weekly exhibitions of student work in the student-run COMA Gallery; access to state-of-the-art labs and studios; professional internships; and study abroad experiences in places such as Italy and China. Graduates can be found at places such DreamWorks, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), Sony Pictures, Marvel Studios, and Graphic Ink. 

Cornish College of the Arts (Cornish) at Seattle University has a Design BFA program that combines two years of foundations coursework with two years of self-directed study. With an average class size of 15 students, the program allows students to select a specialization such as illustration, game design, interaction, or architecture, among others. Additional program highlights include access to state-of-the-art facilities and studios; internships; collaborative studio courses; guest lectures; and industry partnerships. Cornish Design graduates have gone on to land positions at places such as Microsoft, Disney, Google, Nike, Apple, Starbucks, Getty Images, Adobe, Seattle Art Museum, and Twitch. 

The Department of Art + Architecture at University of San Francisco (USF) is home to the Design BA and minor programs. All students will explore areas such as graphic design, digital media, and environmental design. Other program benefits include access to state-of-the-art production facilities; a mandatory internship; the opportunity to exhibit at USF’s Thacher Gallery through the Exhibition Design Practicum elective course; and participation in design competitions such as Adobe’s Creative Jam. The BA culminates with an exhibition at SOMArts gallery in downtown San Francisco. USF Design alumni can be found at places such as Amazon, HarperCollins Publishers, Cisco, Disney, Oracle, Google, Apple, Ubisoft, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Adidas, Big Fish Games, Dwell, Chronicle Books, and Pandora.

The School of Art, Design and Art History at California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) houses a Graphic Design BFA program that features courses such as Professional Advertising Design; Graphic Systems; and User Experience and Interface Design. Courses for the program are led by designers with extensive experience in the advertising, illustration, corporate identity, and packaging industries. Other program benefits include access to state-of-the-art media production facilities; the Perenchio Internship Program; and study abroad experiences in places such as France, Japan, and Spain. Graduates have established careers at places such as Cisco, Adidas, and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.