| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Washington | Seattle |
| 2 | Cornish College of the Arts at Seattle University | Seattle |
| 3 | Western Washington University | Bellingham |
| 4 | Central Washington University | Ellensburg |
| 5 | Eastern Washington University | Cheney |
Our 2025 ranking of the top graphic design school programs in Washington. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
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.
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 Design at Western Washington University (WWU) houses a limited-enrollment Design BFA program with a specific focus on graphic design. Program benefits include internships at places such as Disney and Starbucks; on-campus work experiences at Klipsun Magazine and Viking Union (VU) Publicity Center, among others; the option to add the Illustration certificate (the only one of its kind in the Northwest); and add-on minors such as User Experience (UX) Design and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics). WWU alumni have gone on to establish careers at place such as Boeing, Disney, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Meta, Alaska Airlines, Starbucks, and REI.
The Department of Art and Design at Central Washington University (CWU) has one path to study graphic design: the Graphic Design BFA. Program features include access to state-of-the art studios and labs; opportunities to exhibit work on campus; professional internships; the visiting artist and speaker series; seminars and workshops; and study abroad experiences. The CWU Graphic Design BFA culminates with a professional portfolio of the student’s best work. Graduates have been recruited by places such as Boeing, Microsoft, Amazon, Intel, Starbucks, T-Mobile, SpaceX, Nordstrom, Expedia, and Costco.
The Department of Design at Eastern Washington University (EWU) houses a Visual Communication Design BDes program and a Design minor consisting of 15 credits. Across programs, students benefit from small class sizes; hands-on projects; access to state-of-the-art production facilities; on-campus design events; and professional internships. Course examples across options include Visual Communication Design; Illustration; User Experience Design; Typography; Visual Thinking and Making; and Digital Foundations. The culminating experience for the BDes is the Senior Capstone. Across EWU programs, graduates can be found at places such as Nike, Boeing, Vanderbilt University, British Petroleum (BP), and Maker + Made.
