Evaluating colleges and universities to decide which one offers the right graphic design program for your future career is an important step for most students. With more than 190 colleges and universities in North Carolina, deciding on the institution that is the best match for your needs can be a serious task. While there is no magic formula for choosing the right college, you can get a head start by researching independent school rankings and guides to help you find the best school.

Best Graphic Design Programs in North Carolina for 2019

Top 10 Graphic Design Programs in North Carolina

School rankings are based on data published by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), a system of surveys conducted annually by the U.S. Department of Education. Key factors include a commitment to high academic standards, return on investment, faculty ratings, and long-term employment statistics that track graduate success.
  • North Carolina State University
  • North Carolina A&T State University
  • Elizabeth City State University
  • Lenoir-Rhyne University
  • Chowan University
  • Campbell University
  • Queens University of Charlotte
  • Appalachian State University
  • High Point University
  • Meredith College

Our Rankings

Graphic designers are artistic professionals who use their creative and technical skills in a variety of industries such as healthcare, marketing, publishing, and non-profit. At the intersection of two such different skillsets, post-secondary graphic design programs must integrate both the art and the science of communicating in this way. As marketing and digital channels continue to evolve, graphic designers are continually required to use inventive problem-solving in order to design spatial and artistic messages to their clients’ audiences. The colleges listed below offer the best art education in the state, and have rigorous academic standards.

North Carolina Employment & Jobs Outlook

Graphic design graduates are able to enter the workforce with the expertise and professionalism that many businesses find very desirable, regardless of industry. Frequently however, new graphic artists find themselves competing fiercely for available jobs in their preferred field due to the many talented individuals who are attracted to careers in the same field. According to Careerinfonet.org’s employment data, the outlook for graphic designers is favorable. In North Carolina alone, job prospects are expected to increase by 8% from now until the year 2020. The forecast equates to approximately 260 job openings every year from the present time until 2020 – consisting mainly of new job growth.