
Although the schools that make the list of “best schools” and “top schools” are all exceptional, different groups evaluate each type of school for inclusion in different ways. To determine which schools are the best, organizations such as Princeton Review and Forbes consider factors such as variety of program offerings, graduation and retention rates, peer assessment, faculty resources, financial resources, and student selectivity.
A top school may make the cut based factors that affect everything from the student’s finances to his social life. These may include cost, convenience, job placement services, variety of social clubs and other organizations, intramural sports, cultural opportunities, quality of facilities, student population, and access to recreational opportunities. At the end of the day, most schools end up on both lists!
Fortunately, Minnesota is home to several top schools that offer some of the best graphic design programs in the country. Continue reading find out which Minnesota schools made the list and what they have to offer. Please note that the schools listed below are in order by student population from smallest to largest.
Top Graphic Design School Programs Minnesota Major Cities
Minneapolis
University of Minnesota (Twin Cities)
Student Population: 33,607
Backdrop: Urban, 2,000-acre campus
Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Art, Graphic Design; M. F. A. Time and Interactivity (also called Experimental and Media Arts)
St. Cloud
St. Cloud State University
Student Population: 15,780
Backdrop: City, 922-acre campus, easy access to Minneapolis, St. Paul
Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Studio Art with Emphasis in Graphic Design, Integrated Media
Duluth
University of Minnesota (Duluth)
Student Population: 10,628
Backdrop: City, 250-acre campus
Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Graphic Design; M. F. A. Art and Design with Emphasis in Graphic Design
Minneapolis
Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD)
Student Population: 702
Backdrop: Urban, 7-acre campus
Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Animation, Graphic Design, Illustration, Web and Multimedia Environments; M. F. A. Animation, Graphic Design; Graphic Design Certificate
Top Graphic Design School Programs Minnesota Other Cities and Towns
Mankato
Minnesota State University (Mankato)
Student Population: 13,345
Backdrop: Small town, 303-acre campus, easy access to Minneapolis
Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Graphic Design; M. A. Art with Specialization in Graphic Design
Moorhead
Minnesota State University (Moorhead)
Student Population: 7,012
Backdrop: Small city, 119-acre campus
Degrees Offered: B. A., B. F. A. Art with Emphasis in Graphic Design; B. F. A. Art with Emphasis in Illustration; B. S. Graphic Communications with Emphasis in 3D Graphics, Digital Design and Production or Interactive Multimedia
Marshall
Southwest Minnesota State University
Student Population: 6,103
Backdrop: Small town, 216-acre campus
Degrees Offered: B. A. Art with Emphasis in Graphic Design
More Programs to Consider:
- San Francisco & Online
- Top 50 Nationally for Animation (#15) - 2020
- Top 50 Nationally for Game Design (#23) - 2020
- Top 40 Nationally for Illustration (#29) - 2020
- Atlanta, Georgia; Savannah, Georgia; Lacoste, France; and SCAD eLearning
- Animation – BFA, MA, MFA
- Film and Television – BFA, MA, MFA
- Graphic Design – BA, BFA, MA, MFA
- Illustration – BA, BFA, MA, MFA
- Immersive Reality - BFA
- Interactive Design and Game Development – BA, BFA, MA, MFA
- Motion Media Design – BFA, MA, MFA
- Sequential Art – BA, BFA, MA, MFA
- Visual Effects – BFA, MA, MFA
- User Experience (UX) Design – BFA
- Top 50 Nationally for Animation (#3) - 2020
- Top 50 Nationally for Game Design (#12) - 2020
- Top 50 Nationally for Graphic Design (#9) - 2020
- Top 40 Nationally for Illustration (#9) - 2020
- Winter Park, FL & Online
- Computer Animation - Bachelor's - Online & Campus
- Game Programs - Bachelor's & Master's - Online & Campus
- Graphic Design & Digital Arts - Bachelor's - Online & Campus
- Film & Digital Cinematography - Bachelor's & Master's - Online & Campus
- Mobile Development - Bachelor's - Online
- Simulation & Visualization - Bachelor's - Campus
- Top 50 Nationally for Animation (#19) - 2020
- Top 50 Nationally for Game Design (#17) - 2020
- Top 5 in Florida for Graphic Design (#4) - 2020
- Online
Sources
Peterson’s, www.petersons.com
Princeton Review, www.princetonreview.com
U.S. News & World Report College Rankings, www.usnews.com/rankings