Top 50 Private Graphic Design Schools and Colleges in the U.S. – 2026 Rankings

The Graphic Design Department at ArtCenter College of Design houses a studio-rich Graphic Design (Gx) BFA that provides access to specialized facilities such as the Hoffmitz Milken Center for Typography (HMCT) and dedicated exhibition spaces such as the Graphic Design Gallery. A Gx MFA (MGx) with two- and three-year tracks is also available. The two-year track has internship and independent study options, and the three-year track features foundational design prep. All students have opportunities to study abroad at ArtCenter Berlin and work on campus at The Agency for real clients such as Netflix and Nike. 

Graduates can be found at places such as Sony Pictures, Microsoft, Google, Walt Disney Imagineering, Amazon, Riot Games, Nike, DreamWorks, Marvel Studios, The New Yorker, Dell, Netflix, and IDEO.

The School of Art at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) houses a Graphic Design program with BFA and MFA options. BFA students can minor in Digital Arts, Critical Studies, or Arts Education. The MFA is an experimental degree with a two-year track for established graphic designers and a three-year track (PMFA) for students from other creative backgrounds. All students have access to faculty mentors beginning on day one; opportunities to complete an internship with a major design studio; study abroad experiences in places such as London and Paris; and unlimited 24/7 access to state-of-the-art facilities and labs. CalArts alumni have been recruited by places such as Walt Disney Imagineering, Google, Riot Games, Pixar, Apple, Blizzard Entertainment, DreamWorks, and Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE). 

The School of Design (SoD) at Pratt Institute (Pratt) provides multiple paths to study graphic design. Options include a Communications Design BFA with an emphasis in Graphic Design or Illustration; a Communication Design MFA; a STEM-designated Packaging, Identities and Systems Design MS; a Graphic Design AOS; and a Graphic Design/Illustration AAS. The School of Continuing and Professional Studies also offers Graphic Design and Digital Design certificates. Degree-seeking students have opportunities to complete an internship and study abroad in places such as Milan, Tokyo, and London. Students also have access to makerspaces, production labs, and the Design Studio. SoD graduates have secured roles at places such as Nickelodeon, HBO, PepsiCo, DreamWorks, Rockstar Games, Dior, Hasbro, Google, Penguin Random House, Amazon, The New Yorker, Sony, Gensler, Apple, Coach, and West Elm. 

Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) has a Graphic Design program with BA, BFA, and minor options at the undergraduate level, and Graphic Design and Visual Experience MA and MFA options at the graduate level. Across programs, students have opportunities to collaborate on designs for partners such as Amazon, Netflix, and Porsche through the school’s in-house design studio SCAD pro. In addition, students can study in France at SCAD Lacoste or other locations such as Berlin, Tokyo, and Naples. Graduates go on to secure positions at places such as NBC, Microsoft, Disney, Riot Games, eBay, Apple, Google, Nike, Warner Bros., Gensler, Deloitte Digital, Mattel, Target, Calvin Klein, and Ogilvy.

Carnegie Mellon University’s (CMU) School of Design provides several paths to study graphic design. Options include a BDes with a Communication Design track; the BXA intercollege degree program with Bachelor of Computer Science and Arts (BCSA), Bachelor of Humanities and Arts (BHA), and Bachelor of Science and Arts (BSA) pathways; and the Design MA, MDES, and undergraduate minor. Across programs, students have access to dedicated studio spaces and state-of-the-art production facilities. Students may complete a professional internship and study abroad in places such as Paris and London. CMU Design graduates are routinely hired at places such as Microsoft, Deloitte Digital, Capital One, Amazon, Hulu, Google, The New York Times, Apple, IDEO, Netflix, R/GA, Volkswagen, and GoDaddy.

The School of Art at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (Cooper Union) houses a multidisciplinary Art BFA with the option to customize an academic track through specialized courses and free electives. Other program highlights include access to the Herb Lubalin Study Center of Design and Typography; professional internships at places such as The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Pentagram, and The New York Times; and study abroad experiences in places such as London, Berlin, and Amsterdam. Cooper Union graduates have secured positions at places such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), The Noguchi Museum, Gensler, Intel, and NVIDIA.

Ringling College of Art and Design (RCAD) houses an award-winning design studio that allows its Graphic Design BFA students to gain valuable experience working with real clients on design and branding campaigns. The school’s INDEX (Industry Experience) Center also helps students secure internships with local, regional, and national studios. Other program highlights include study abroad experiences in the Netherlands and France; visiting artists from places such as DreamWorks; and opportunities to submit creations to the ADDY Awards. Graduates have gone on to secure positions at places such as Saatchi X, Hallmark, Microsoft, DreamWorks, Google, Leo Burnett, Disney, Nickelodeon, Sony, Intel, Amazon, Target, Hasbro, Mattel, Ogilvy, American Greetings, Cartoon Network, Apple, and Squarespace. 

The College of Fine Arts at Boston University (BU) provides several paths to study graphic design. Options include the Graphic Design BFA, MFA, and certificate. All students have access to state-of-the-art production facilities, including new studios, printing spaces, and a seminar room for graduate students. Other program highlights include printmaking workshops at MASEREEL in Kasterlee, Belgium; partnerships with local design studios; the Studio Arts Program at BU's Venice (Italy) Center; and design intensives in Amsterdam. Graduates of the BU Graphic Design programs have been hired at places such as Google, NBCUniversal, Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, Southwest Airlines, ESPN, CarGurus, PUMA, Liberty Mutual, Candlewick Press, Deloitte, CVS Health, Merck, Dropbox, and PwC.

The Graphic Design Program at Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) provides opportunities to work on client projects at DesignWorks—MCAD's in-house studio. Hands-on studio electives allow students to gain additional experience in different areas of graphic design. Degree options include a Graphic Design BFA; the Graphic and Web Design MA; and a Visual Studies MFA that includes graphic design, digital media, animation, illustration, and more. Across programs, students benefit from optional internships; opportunities to participate in activities at local galleries, art centers, and design nonprofits; and study abroad experiences in places such as the UK and Japan. MCAD art and design alumni can be found at places such as the Science Museum of Minnesota, Amazon, Walker Art Center, Disney, Netflix, 3M, The New York Times, Target, Starbucks, Best Buy, General Mills, Medtronic, and DesignWorks.

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) provides a number of flexible paths to study graphic design. Options include the Graphic Design BFA; a cross-disciplinary, STEM-designated Visual Communication Design (VCD) MFA; a Design and Imaging Technology AOS/AAS that explores graphic production, digital media, and 3D graphics technology; and BFA degrees in New Media Design, Illustration, and 3D Digital Design. For these programs, students can create a concentration through electives and minors such as Computer Graphics, Letterpress Printmaking, Visualization, and New Media Design. RIT graduates can be found at places such as Hasbro, Boeing, Nickelodeon, Disney, Microsoft, Google, Warner Bros., Apple, Deloitte Digital, HP, Northrop Grumman, PepsiCo, ESPN, Intel, P&G, Nike, IDEO, and Under Armour.

The Communication Design BFA program at Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD) is a 120-credit-hour, multidisciplinary program with an option that allows students to minor in Book Arts, Copywriting, Advertising, Media Production, and more. Students can also enhance the degree through specialized electives and experiential learning opportunities such as internships at Nike, Harley-Davidson, and the Milwaukee Brewers, and study abroad experiences in Spain, Italy, and Thailand. Examples of companies that frequently hire MIAD graduates include NASA, Google, Nike, Ford, GM, Harley-Davidson, Lands’ End, Milwaukee Tool, Kohler, High Sierra, Cramer-Krasselt, and Delta Faucet. 

The Department of Art and Art History at Baylor University (Baylor) houses a Studio Art program with a concentration in Graphic Design. Students have two options within the program: the flexible, liberal arts-focused BA or the studio-intensive, professional BFA. Program highlights include internship opportunities; access to state-of-the-art computer labs, production studios, and smart classrooms; the senior portfolio capstone for BA students; and participation in the BFA Senior Exhibition for BFA students. Graduates are often recruited by companies such as Dell, Amazon, Disney, The New York Times, Deloitte, and ESPN. 

The University of Miami (UM) provides multiple paths to study graphic design. The College of Arts and Sciences houses a Studio Art BFA with a Graphic Design and Multimedia (GDM) concentration; a flexible, general studies Art BA with access to all GDM courses, plus a mandatory 15-credit minor in Interactive Media, Advertising, User Experience Design, or other option; and the Illustration and Multimedia MFA. The School of Communication houses the Human-Centered Design and Computing BSC; an Experience and Information Design (XiD) MS; and a Creative Technologies and Interactive Arts MFA. Highlights across programs include visiting artist seminars and critiques; access to state-of-the-art production facilities; gallery visits; and interdisciplinary studio courses. Graduates can be found at Sony Music Publishing, Yahoo!, the Miami Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium, Royal Caribbean Group, and Catena Media. 

The Department of Art, Art History, and Design (AAHD) at the University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame) houses a Design program with BA, BFA, and MFA options. The Design MFA is a fully funded terminal degree program with a concentration in Visual Communication Design (VCD). The Design BA and BFA programs allow students to concentrate in VCD and/or select a double major or a minor, such as Collaborative Innovation. All students have opportunities to collaborate on real-world projects; join the AIGA student chapter; participate in design competitions and studio tours; and intern at places such as Leo Burnett and DreamWorks. Graduates have landed positions at these and other places such as Apple, Microsoft, The New York Times, Google, IDEO, Amazon, Mattel, Booz Allen Hamilton, Dell, Nike, Ogilvy, IBM, Disney, HarperCollins, Deloitte Digital, Estée Lauder, Target, Newell Brands, Uber, and Spotify.

The Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design at Drexel University (Drexel) has a Graphic Design BS program with a mandatory co-op component. This six-month full-time work experience highlights partnerships with places like Apple, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and ESPN. A Graphic Design minor is also available and open to students across all majors. The Graphic Design program includes studio tours and trips to Design Philadelphia events; access to state-of-the-art facilities such as the Hybrid Making Lab, Computer Lab, and wood and metal shops; and participation in the annual trip to New York City. The culminating Senior Showcase attracts industry professionals and the public. Graduates often secure employment at places such as Marvel, Google, Ketchum, Amazon, Under Armour, Penguin Random House, The Franklin Institute, Urban Outfitters, Comcast, and Spotify. 

Laguna College of Art and Design (LCAD) has a number of 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 with an Action Sport Design emphasis; and the GD+DM minor that can be taken alone or with any major. All students benefit from partnerships with companies such as Pixar, Nike, Saatchi & Saatchi, and Hurley; small classes led by industry professionals; collaborative, hands-on design projects; access to state-of-the-art production studios and labs; and internships at places such as Pixar, Sony, Cartoon Network, Disney, and Blizzard Entertainment. In addition to these companies, graduates have secured positions at places such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Riot Games, Sony, Amazon, The New York Times, Nickelodeon, Hasbro, Nintendo, Coca-Cola, NBCUniversal, Vans, and Warner Bros.

The College of Fine Arts at Texas Christian University (TCU) provides two paths to study graphic design. The Graphic Design BFA features a liberal arts core, a required 10-week summer internship, and participation in design competitions. BFA students have interned at places such as Altar’d State, TBH Creative, and adWhite. The Design Studies BS has a Graphic Design concentration that includes courses such as Package Design, Typography, and Advertising. The internship for this program is optional. Design students have completed internships in places such as New York, London, Chicago, Los Angeles, Peru, and Miami. Many of these internships lead to job offers before graduation. Graduates can be found at places such as Disney, Amazon, Pentagram, Microsoft, NBCUniversal, Lockheed Martin, CBS, Nike, IBM, Topgolf, Fossil, Deloitte Digital, American Airlines, Louis Vuitton, Dell, Jimmy Choo, Oracle, and Elle. 

The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) houses the Stuart Weitzman School of Design. Within the school is a Design BA program for undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Program highlights include integrative studios; access to electives such as Graphic Design, Mixed Media Animation, and User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) Design; professional internships; study abroad experiences; and a year-long design project culminating with a public exhibition and panel critique by notable designers. Weitzman Design graduates have secured positions at places such as Vogue, Google, Pentagram, Apple, Disney, Riot Games, Adidas, MSNBC, Target, Gensler, Unity, Nike, LOFT, Nestlé, Mediabistro, Adobe, the YMCA, and Digitas Health.

Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Chapman University (Chapman) is home to the Department of Art. Within the department are a Design BFA program (formerly Graphic Design) and a 24-credit-hour Graphic Design minor. Program highlights include mandatory internships (students have interned at HBO, Obsidian Entertainment, and the Long Beach Museum of Art, among others); the option to minor in Advertising, Computer Science, or Marketing, to name a few; sophomore/junior portfolio reviews in the Guggenheim Gallery and an AIGA portfolio review; and participation in the five-week Sustainable Design summer course in London or a semester abroad in places such as Spain or Thailand. Chapman Design graduates often land roles at places such as Amazon, Boeing, Warner Bros., Sony, DreamWorks, Google, Blizzard Entertainment, Disney, Microsoft, Apple, Netflix, and Adidas.

The Graphic Design BFA (GDS BFA) Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) provides opportunities to work on presentations, campaigns, and exhibitions with external partners; participate in workshops, lectures, and critiques led by design professionals from around the world; and collaborate on projects with students from other CCAD design programs. Other program highlights include access to the state-of-the-art Digital Output Center and the Interactive Media Lab; internships with places like the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Cleveland and NASA; study abroad experiences in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Ireland; and participation in the Senior Exhibition. In addition to NASA and MOCA Cleveland, graduates can be found at places such as Microsoft, Leo Burnett, Pentagram, Rolling Stone, Disney, Ogilvy, GM, American Greetings, Fortune, Google, Nike, VML, Newsweek, Adobe, and Esquire. 

Maine College of Art & Design (MECA&D) houses an interdisciplinary Graphic Design BFA. All activities for the program take place in a professional studio environment, with 24/7 access to state-of-the-art production facilities. Students can add a minor in Printmaking, Art and Entrepreneurship, Drawing, or Writing, among others; complete an internship at places such as The VIA Agency, Wayside Publishing, and Steelcase, Inc.; and study abroad at partner institutions such as Paris College of Art, Hong Kong Baptist University, and the University of Georgia, Cortona. In addition to VIA, Wayside, and Steelcase, graduates have secured roles at places such as Disney, Hasbro, Smithsonian Institution, Wired, L.L. Bean, Portland Museum of Art, Cole Haan, Peabody Essex Museum, Anthropologie, and Portland Magazine. 

The Department of Art and Architecture at the University of San Francisco (USF) is home to an interdisciplinary Design BA program that combines graphic design studies with environmental and digital media design. A Design minor is also available. Across programs, students have access to state-of-the-art labs and studios, along with opportunities to participate in design competitions. BA students will complete a mandatory design internship, take courses such as Advanced Typography, Copy Culture, Design for the Climate Crisis, and Design and Social Change, and complete a four-unit Senior Design Project course. USF Design graduates often land positions at places such as Google, Adidas, Chronicle Books, HarperCollins Publishers, Apple, Disney, Ubisoft, Oracle, Pandora, Cisco, and Etsy.

Moore College of Art & Design (Moore) is the first independent art and design college in the nation to become an Adobe Creative Campus. Moore is also the only college of its kind to offer a guaranteed $1,000 paid internship for every student. The school’s Graphic Design program, which leads to a BFA or a minor, also provides access to state-of-the-art studios and labs; opportunities to participate in studio tours and critiques; mentorship experiences with design professionals; and participation in visiting artist workshops led by professionals from places such as Pentagram and Google Creative Lab. Students also, have access to 15 interdisciplinary minors. Examples include Illustration, Animation and Game Arts, Photography, and Creative Writing. With a 97% success rate, program alumni have landed positions with places such as Apple, the Philadelphia Eagles, Campbell’s, Vanity Fair, and Anthropologie.  

The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at American University (AU) houses an 18-credit-hour Graphic and Visual Communication Design minor and the Graphic and Visual Communication Design BA. Degree-seeking students have opportunities to complete up to nine internship and study abroad credit hours. Examples of participating study abroad institutions include Glasgow School of Art in London and Slade School of Fine Arts at University College of London. Other program highlights include site visits and exhibitions; participation in the AU Design Club; and access to dedicated computer labs and state-of-the-art production facilities. Graduates have secured positions at places such as Lockheed Martin, P&G, Disney, Amazon, Google, Deloitte, Microsoft, The Washington Post, NPR, Booz Allen Hamilton, Gensler, Oracle, Capital One, and the U.S. Department of State.