What are the top North Carolina graphic design schools for 2026?
| Ranking | School | City | Ranking by Region | National Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina State University | Raleigh | #2 in South | #10 |
| 2 | Appalachian State University | Boone | #17 in South | Unranked |
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte | #18 in South | Unranked |
| 4 | East Carolina University | Greenville | Unranked | Unranked |
Our 2026 ranking of the top graphic design school programs in North Carolina. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
1. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
North Carolina State University (NC State) houses the College of Design, home to the Graphic and Experience Design program. Degrees include the Bachelor of Graphic and Experience Design (BGXD) and Master of Graphic and Experience Design (MGXD). Recognized by the AIGA and considered one of the nation’s top NASAD-accredited programs, the BGXD focuses on typography, user research, digital prototyping, and service design. The MGXD is one of the few STEM-designated graphic design graduate programs in the U.S. Across programs, students have opportunities to complete an internship and study abroad in places such as Greece and Prague. Graduates have secured positions at places such as IDEO, Red Hat, IBM, Pentagram, Lenovo, R/GA, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and Adobe.
2. Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina
The Department of Art at Appalachian State University (App State) provides two paths to study graphic design. Options include the Graphic Design BFA and the Graphic Communications Management BS with concentrations in Print/Packaging Production and Cross Media Production. The BFA requires a minor such as Photography, while the BS requires a minor in General Business. All students benefit from internship opportunities with companies such as Coyne PR, Lowe’s, and Acuity Brands; study abroad experiences in places such as Austria, Thailand, and Italy; and field trips to New York design studios and museums. Graduates have been hired at places such as Brooklyn Academy of Music, Amazon, Wells Fargo, Gap, RRD, Cintas, Red Hat, Tiffany & Co., Bank of America, and Salem One.
3. University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina
The College of Arts + Architecture (CoA+A) at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) houses the Department of Art and Art History. Within the department is a Graphic Design BFA program that features 24/7 access to production facilities inside Rowe Arts Building, which also houses performance spaces and The Rowe Galleries. Other program highlights include professional internships with organizations such as the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Honeywell, and Bechtler Museum of Modern Art; the option to work for student-led Niner Media; and study abroad experiences such as the Graphic Design Studio track in Copenhagen, Denmark, and a graphic design-centered summer program in South Korea’s official UNESCO City of Design—Seoul. Graduates can be found at places such as Leo Burnett, Amazon, ESPN, The Charlotte Observer, IBM, ScentAir, the Charlotte Hornets, Lowe’s, and Belk.
4. East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina
The School of Art and Design (SoAD) at East Carolina University (ECU) houses the Art BFA and MFA programs with a Graphic Design concentration for each. A 24-credit-hour Art minor is also available. MFA students have 24/7 access to individual, private studio spaces in the Jenkins Fine Arts Center (Jenkins). Students in both programs have access to state-of-the-art production facilities; internship opportunities at places such as Greenville Museum of Art; and the specialized graphic design study abroad track, Tipoteca Italiana (Cornuda, Italy). ECU SoAD graduates have established careers at places such as Pentagram, IBM, North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA), Red Hat, Northrop Grumman, Cisco, Oracle, McGill Associates, Saxton Horne Communications, McKinney, and Crobar Creative Leverage.