What are the top Connecticut graphic design schools for 2025?
| Ranking | School | City | Ranking by Region | National Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yale University | New Haven | #2 on East Coast | #3 |
| 2 | University of Connecticut | Storrs | #20 on East Coast | Unranked |
| 3 | University of Hartford | Hartford | Unranked | Unranked |
Our 2026 ranking of the top graphic design school programs in Connecticut. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
1. Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
Yale University provides two paths to study graphic design including the Art BA with a concentration in Graphic Design and a competitive Graphic Design MFA with two-year and three-year tracks. The two-year track accepts just 12 students annually, while the three-year track accepts seven students annually.
Across programs, students benefit from trips to film festivals and conferences; designated workspaces; access to the Center for Collaborative Arts and Media; immersive workshops and studios; and some 2,000 elective courses across professional schools at Yale. Graduates have been hired at places such as The New York Times, Google, Microsoft, CBS, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Apple, Nike, Deloitte, Amazon, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), Bain & Company, Goldman Sachs, and Pentagram.
2. University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
The School of Fine Arts at the University of Connecticut (UConn) provides several paths to study graphic design. Options include an Art BFA with a Graphic Design concentration; a flexible liberal-arts focused Art BA with the option to study graphic design by adding a double major or minor; the Digital Media and Design (DMD) tracks; and a Studio Art minor. All students have opportunities to work with real clients in UConn’s Design Center, while BFA students may participate in the Graphic Design in London Program. Other highlights across programs include access to state-of-the-art labs and studios; internships and co-ops; and the visiting artist series. Graduates have landed positions at places such as BBDO, Hearst, ESPN, Disney, Electronic Arts (EA), Amazon, LEGO, Google, NBCUniversal, and IDEO.
3. University of Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut
University of Hartford (UHart) is home to Hartford Art School (HAS). Within HAS is a Visual Communication Design (VCD) BFA consisting of 77–80 studio credits in the major. A VCD minor consisting of 18 credit hours is also available. This program combines advertising, motion graphics, interactive design, packaging and more. All students have access to a 65,000-square-foot production and studio space. BFA students have opportunities to intern at places such as Five Points Arts, ESPN, and The Bass Museum of Art, or study abroad at the Slade School of Fine Art (London) and Glasgow School of Art (Scotland), among others. UHart VCD graduates have been hired at places such as NASA, Pentagram, Apple, RTX, Nike, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), Netflix, Hill-Stead Museum, and NBC.