| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Washington University | District of Columbia |
| 2 | American University | District of Columbia |
Our 2025 ranking of the top graphic design school programs in Washington DC. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
George Washington University (GW) is home to Corcoran School of the Arts and Design (Corcoran). Within the school is a Graphic Design minor program and BFA that features internships at places such as Condé Nast, Apple, and NBC. Other program highlights include study abroad experiences in places such as Japan, London, and Saudi Arabia; access to state-of-the-art studios and labs; experiential learning experiences in places such as San Francisco and New York; and participation in the World Studio’s Design Ignites Change and Corcoran’s NEXT Festival. Program alumni have been hired at places such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Booz Allen Hamilton, The Smithsonian, IBM, National Geographic, Amazon, Riot Games, Peace Corps, Apple, and Warner Bros. Discovery.
The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at American University (AU) houses the Department of Art. Within the department is a Graphic and Visual Communication Design Program BA and a minor that can be added to most undergraduate and graduate programs. The BA covers illustration, editorial design, corporate identity, experience design, packaging, interactive design, multimedia, and more. All students have the unique opportunity to study abroad at Slade School of Fine Arts at University College of London, Glasgow School of Art in London, and many others. American University alumni can be found at places such as Microsoft, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, Google, P&G, Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, and Meta.
