Best Design and Applied Arts Schools in New York

New York has 27 colleges offering Design and Applied Arts programs tracked by the College Scorecard, producing 2,425 recent graduates. Graduates earn $33,833 on average within two years, roughly in line with the national average of $34,895.

Schools in NY

$33,833

NY Avg. Earnings

$34,895

National Avg.

371

Schools Nationally

Public vs Private: Design and Applied Arts in New York

Public Schools (10)

$32,460

avg. 2yr earnings

Private Schools (15)

$34,516

avg. 2yr earnings

Private schools produce $2,056 more in early earnings on average, but typically cost more. Compare net price to determine which offers better ROI.

Design and Applied Arts Schools in New York, Ranked by Earnings

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY · Private

$26,739

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $46,471

Graduates: 30

Acceptance: 58.5%

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY · Private

$38,505

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $40,400

Graduates: 154

Acceptance: 41.7%

Marist University

Poughkeepsie, NY · Private

$49,270

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $38,263

Graduates: 24

Acceptance: 64.7%

The College of Saint Rose

Albany, NY · Private

$43,000

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $34,736

Graduates: 22

Acceptance: 73.4%

St. John's University-New York

Queens, NY · Private

$41,025

2yr Earnings

Acceptance: 79.7%

Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY · Public

$41,076

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $40,289

Graduates: 635

Acceptance: 57.6%

Pratt Institute-Main

Brooklyn, NY · Private

$38,424

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $36,210

Graduates: 298

Acceptance: 53.2%

LIM College

New York, NY · For-Profit

$39,585

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $36,739

Graduates: 33

Acceptance: 98.8%

The New School

New York, NY · Private

$35,630

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $30,178

Graduates: 342

Acceptance: 62.5%

#10

Mercy University

Dobbs Ferry, NY · Private

Farmingdale State College

Farmingdale, NY · Public

$33,993

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $32,474

Graduates: 56

Acceptance: 69.1%

#12

CUNY New York City College of Technology

Brooklyn, NY · Public

$29,902

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $30,519

Graduates: 129

Acceptance: 80.7%

#13

Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY · Private

$34,369

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $32,795

Graduates: 180

Acceptance: 71.4%

#14

Russell Sage College

Troy, NY · Private

$25,194

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $35,683

Graduates: 27

Acceptance: 76.2%

#15

State University of New York at New Paltz

New Paltz, NY · Public

$51,273

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $29,623

Graduates: 16

Acceptance: 58.7%

#16

Marymount Manhattan College

New York, NY · Private

$28,960

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,409

Graduates: 38

Acceptance: 78.9%

#17

Villa Maria College

Buffalo, NY · Private

$31,581

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $33,578

Graduates: 18

Acceptance: 86.7%

#18

State University of New York at Oswego

Oswego, NY · Public

$28,960

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $26,706

Graduates: 72

Acceptance: 80.4%

#19

CUNY Queens College

Queens, NY · Public

$23,068

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $29,634

Graduates: 69

Acceptance: 68.5%

#20

SUNY at Fredonia

Fredonia, NY · Public

$28,816

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $33,958

Graduates: 18

Acceptance: 79.2%

#21

Nazareth University

Rochester, NY · Private

$41,193

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $32,762

Graduates: 21

Acceptance: 79.5%

#22

New York Institute of Technology

Old Westbury, NY · Private

SUNY Buffalo State University

Buffalo, NY · Public

School of Visual Arts

New York, NY · For-Profit

$31,567

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $22,489

Graduates: 209

Acceptance: 91.3%

#25

State University of New York at Cortland

Cortland, NY · Public

$29,685

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $30,702

Graduates: 18

Acceptance: 50.7%

#26

Long Island University

Brookville, NY · Private

SUNY College of Technology at Canton

Canton, NY · Public

$21,964

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $26,701

Graduates: 16

Acceptance: 96.3%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Design and Applied Arts in New York?

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ranks #1 for Design and Applied Arts in New York with median graduate earnings of $26,739 within two years of graduation. There are 27 schools offering Design and Applied Arts programs in the state.

How much do Design and Applied Arts graduates earn in New York?

Design and Applied Arts graduates in New York earn an average of $33,833 within two years of graduation. This is 3% below the national average of $34,895 for this major.

What is the hardest Design and Applied Arts school to get into in New York?

Syracuse University is the most selective Design and Applied Arts program in New York with an acceptance rate of 41.7%. The average acceptance rate across Design and Applied Arts programs in the state is 73.6%.

Should I attend a public or private school for Design and Applied Arts in New York?

In New York, private Design and Applied Arts programs produce average earnings of $34,516 vs $32,460 at public schools. However, public schools typically cost less — consider net price relative to earnings when calculating ROI. There are 10 public and 15 private options in the state.

Other Popular Majors in New York

Marine Transportation $73,446 Computer Science $71,535 Computer Engineering $71,263 Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology $70,176 Industrial Engineering $69,459 Construction Management $67,560 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering $66,924 Materials Engineering $66,884

All colleges in New York →

Design and Applied Arts in Other States

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Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release.