Best UX Design Schools: The Top Colleges and Universities for UX Design Programs

Carnegie Mellon University is a highly-ranked private college established in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1900. Carnegie Mellon University provides graduate and undergraduate programs in art, social science, engineering, and business. It has over 15,000 students enrolled across its seven colleges.

Carnegie Mellon University Overview

• School Type: Private
• Acceptance Rate: 17%
• Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s to doctorate
• US News Ranking: 25
• Times Higher Education Ranking: 28

Best Carnegie Mellon University UX Design Programs

• Bachelor of Design (Product Design Track). Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Fine Art offers a four-year Bachelor of Design program specializing in product design. Students of this program learn concepts such as visualization, prototyping, and designing for user experience. 
• Masters of Art in Design. The MA in Design program is aimed toward post-undergraduate students seeking to transition into a career in design. It is a 96-unit, one-year, on-campus program that teaches design principles and prototyping for interaction design.
• Master of Human-Computer Interaction. This program runs on the Carnegie Mellon University campus for a year and includes an eight-month capstone project. There are seven core courses, including courses on user-centered research and interaction design. 
• PhD in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Carnegie Mellon University offers an on-campus, research-intensive human-computer interaction PhD program. The coursework covers technology and social science concepts. The program is designed to be completed in two and a half years, but students have some flexibility with scheduling.
• PhD in Transition Design. The PhD in Transition Design program is an on-campus, four-year program that emphasizes design theory and design for complex systems. Graduates from this program can go on to work in senior UX roles in software engineering companies and other startups. 

Carnegie Mellon University UX Design Key Takeaway

Carnegie Mellon University provides quality education for beginner UX designers, as well as those looking to advance their careers in UX design.

DePaul University is the largest Catholic university in the US, with over 300 programs and about 21,000 students. DePaul University delivers an intimate learning experience with fewer than 40 students in each class.  

DePaul University Overview

• School Type: Private
• Acceptance Rate: 70%
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
• Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s to Doctorate
• US News Ranking: 127
• Times Higher Education Ranking: N/A

Best DePaul University UX Design Programs

• Bachelor of Arts in Art, Media, and Design. The BA in Art, Media, and Design program is a 192-credit-hour undergraduate program offered on campus at DePaul. It includes courses on digital imaging, web art, and design, which are helpful for UX designers. 
• Bachelor of Science in User Experience Design. The BS in User Experience Design program equips students with design thinking skills. It is a 192-credit-hour program that covers web design, data visualization, and several other aspects of visual design. 
• Masters of Science in Human-Computer Interaction. This 52-credit-hour graduate program is available on campus and online. Students enrolled in this program take classes on interaction design and user research methods to prepare them for future UX design job roles. 
• Master of Arts in Experience Design. The MS Experience Design program teaches students human-centered design principles for web content, video games, and other forms of digital media. It is a 52-credit-hour program offered on campus at DePaul.
• PhD in Human-Centered Design. This 60-credit doctorate program is designed for user experience designers looking to upgrade their skills to work in more senior roles in academia or industry. It is offered only as an in-person program and usually takes four to five years to complete.

DePaul University UX Design Key Takeaway

DePaul University’s undergraduate and graduate UX degrees provide hands-on experience to students looking to begin a prosperous UX design career.

Purdue University is a public college established in 1869. Purdue has several campuses around the US and a global online campus, and around 50,000 students are enrolled in its numerous graduate and undergraduate degree programs. 

Purdue University Overview

• School Type: Public
• Acceptance Rate: 67%
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
• Degrees Offered: Associate to Doctorate
• US News Ranking: 49
• Times Higher Education Ranking: 105

Best Purdue University UX Design Programs

• Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology. The BA Anthropology program is an on-campus, 120-credit, three-year program. It includes courses in liberal arts and behavioral science that can help graduates create a better user experience design for their clients.  
• Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design. This on-campus, 126-credit, four-year program is structured to produce product designers with strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It provides students with insight into the history of design and shows them the best modern design practices. 
• Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communications Design. The BFA in Visual Communications Design program equips graduates with the foundational conceptual skills necessary to become in-demand UX designers. Students enrolled in this on-campus program will need to complete 126 credit units within four years to graduate. 
• Bachelor of Science in UX Design. The 120-credit, four-year BS in UX Design program is part of Purdue University’s Computer Graphics Technology program. It’s offered on campus and includes classes on introductory and advanced UX concepts.
• Master of Fine Arts in Industrial Design. This on-campus, three-year program allows graduate students to choose between a 60-credit non-thesis option and a 66-credit thesis option. It provides classes on user research methods and gives graduate students the opportunity to carry out a research project. 

Purdue University UX Design Key Takeaway

Purdue University is a reputable college with comprehensive design programs covering a wide variety of liberal arts concepts.

Rochester Institute of Technology is located in New York State and has a student population of over 19,000 students. Rochester Institute of Technology also has four global campuses and is one of the leading schools in the US for science, engineering, and mathematics.  

Rochester Institute of Technology Overview

• School Type: Private
• Acceptance Rate: 74%
• Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• Degrees Offered: Associate to Doctorate
• US News Ranking: 117
• Times Higher Education Ranking: 801-1000

Best Rochester Institute of Technology UX Design Programs

• Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design. This four-year, 120-credit, on-campus program trains students to develop easy-to-use products. It offers 2D and 3D workshops where undergraduates can practice their design skills via hands-on projects. 
• Bachelor of Science in Human-Centered Computing. The BS in Human-Centered Computing program is a four-year, 120-credit, on-campus UX design program. Its curriculum includes courses on software development, design, and psychology that prepare graduates for work in multiple industry roles. 
• Master of Science in Human-Computer Interaction. This advanced-level, two-year, 30-credit program is designed to help UX designers understand how to create seamless interfaces and build great digital products. The MS in Human-Computer Interaction program also offers online courses.
• Master of Science in Integrative Design. The MS in Integrative Design program is a one-year, 30-credit program for students seeking to work as UX designers or in other product development roles. All classes for this graduate degree are provided in person. 
• PhD in Color Science. Color management is one of the vital aspects of user experience. This on-campus, 60-credit-hour, four-year PhD program allows students to conduct intensive research in color modeling and management, lighting, and other color science subjects.

Rochester Institute of Technology UX Design Key Takeaway

Rochester Institute of Technology’s experienced faculty and top-quality in-person and online degree programs are an excellent option for your career development as a UX designer. 

San Jose State University was founded in 1857 to train students to become professionals and community leaders. This public college has more than 33,000 students pursuing graduate and undergraduate programs. 

San Jose State University Overview

• School Type: Public
• Acceptance Rate: 67%
• Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission
• Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s to Doctorate
• US News Ranking: N/A
• Times Higher Education Ranking: 1001-1200

Best San Jose State University UX Design Programs

• Bachelor of Arts in Behavioral Science. The BA in Behavioral Science program includes courses from the Departments of Psychology, Anthropology, and Sociology. This 120-credit, four-year, on-campus program helps prospective UX designers to better understand user behavior and design effective products.
• Bachelor of Arts in Design Studies. San Jose University’s BA in Arts and Design Studies program is a 120-credit program covering design fundamentals and the modern design process. This program is delivered on campus and can be completed in four years.  
• Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design. UX designers are expected to have critical thinking, problem-solving, and design skills. The BS in Industrial Design program is a four-year, 120-credit, on-campus program that teaches undergraduate students these essential skills to enable them to enjoy a successful UX design career. 
• Master of Fine Arts in Art, Spatial Art Concentration. The MFA in Art program provides graduates with the ability to understand visual problems and provide valuable solutions. Graduates from this on-campus, 60-unit program will be able to work in diverse academia and industry roles. 
• Master of Arts in Psychology, Research, and Experimental Psychology Concentration. This 60-unit graduate program is geared towards advanced research on human behavior. UX designers who take this course will better understand user psychology and how to apply current research findings to create better products. 

San Jose State University UX Design Key Takeaway

San Jose State University’s interdisciplinary programs give UX designers a solid theoretical background of technical skills, art concepts, and application of user data.

Since its inception in 1885, Stanford University has built a reputation as one of the highest-ranked private colleges in the US. Stanford University also has more than 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students and boasts a 5:1 student to faculty ratio. 

Stanford University Overview

• School Type: Private
• Acceptance Rate: 5%
• Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission
• Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s to Doctorate
• US News Ranking: 6
• Times Higher Education Ranking: 4

Best Stanford University UX Design Programs

• Graduate Certificate in Human-Computer Interaction. This online program teaches designers the principles of intuitive user interface design. The knowledge obtained from this four-course program enables students to create user-friendly software products. 
• Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology. The BA in Anthropology program is a 65-credit, on-campus program that helps students understand the factors affecting human behavior. UX designers with an anthropology background can work as part of a product design team to provide valuable solutions to complex design issues. 
• Bachelor of Science in Product Design. This 52-unit, on-campus program merges mechanical engineering and design concepts. Graduates from this program can work as UX or product designers in any leading company. 
• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. The BA in Psychology program offers courses on perception, cognitive neuroscience, and social psychology. Upon completing the minimum 70 credits required to obtain this degree, students gain information on consumer behavior that enables them to create improved user experiences. 
• PhD in Psychology. Stanford University’s PhD in Psychology program is a four-year on-campus program that covers psychology and statistics topics. This advanced-level program is excellent for those looking to work in senior UX design roles.  

Stanford University UX Design Key Takeaway

Stanford University is one of the most reputable higher institutions in the US, offering certificate, graduate, and undergraduate courses for beginner and advanced UX designers.

University of California San Diego was founded in 1960 to train global leaders in various industries. The university has several degree programs in diverse fields, including public health, economics, and visual arts, and its total student population is about 39,500.

University of California San Diego Overview

• School Type: Public
• Acceptance Rate: 37%
• Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission
• Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s to Doctorate
• US News Ranking: 34
• Times Higher Education Ranking: 34

Best University of California San Diego UX Design Programs

• Bachelor of Arts in Speculative Design. This program emphasizes user-focused research and critical thinking skills for developing design solutions. The BA in Speculative Design program has a 76- to 78-unit curriculum that enables UX designers to come up with context-specific solutions when creating products.
• Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Science with a Specialization in Design and Interaction. The degree is one of four specialization options available to students in the cognitive science undergraduate program. This four-year on-campus program combines behavioral science, computer interaction, and visual arts concepts. 
• PhD in Experimental Psychology with a Specialization in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience.  This five-year, on-campus doctorate program involves in-depth research into what affects human behavior. It is an advanced program designed for students seeking senior UX design roles at software companies or research roles in academia.

University of California San Diego UX Design Key Takeaway

The University of California San Diego has excellent design programs for students looking to begin or advance their UX design careers.

University of Southern California was founded in 1880 and has grown to become one of the top-rated universities in Los Angeles. This private research university presently has a student population of about 49,000 students across its 23 specialized schools. 

University of Southern California Overview

• School Type: Private
• Acceptance Rate: 16%
• Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission
• Degrees Offered: Associate to Doctorate
• US News Ranking: 27
• Times Higher Education Ranking: 63

Best University of Southern California UX Design Programs

• Bachelor of Arts in Design. The BA in Design program is a four-year, 128-unit, on-campus program offered by the University of Southern California. Its curriculum includes courses on art and visual culture for aspiring UX designers. 
• Master of Fine Arts in Design. The MFA in Design program is a five-term, 56-credit program provided by the Roski School of Design at University of Southern California. In addition to preparing a thesis, students enrolled in this program learn design theory and contemporary issues in design. 
• Master of Science in Integrated Design, Business, and Technology. This online graduate program’s 38-credit-unit curriculum includes a course on design essentials. Graduates from this program will be able to apply innovative techniques toward the creation of intuitive products. 
• Master of Science in Product Innovation. The MS in Product Innovation graduate program is a 64-credit, on-campus program. It helps UX designers improve their skills via the elementary principles of human-centered design. 

University of Southern California UX Design Key Takeaway

UX design students at University of Southern California have access to several top-quality, interdisciplinary programs and highly skilled faculty members.

University of Texas at Austin was established in 1883. It has about 52,000 students enrolled across its 156 undergraduate or 237 graduate degree programs, and it also provides over 12,000 courses.

University of Texas at Austin Overview

• School Type: Public
• Acceptance Rate: 32%
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
• Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s to Doctorate
• US News Ranking: 38
• Times Higher Education Ranking: 47

Best University of Texas at Austin UX Design Programs

• Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design. The BFA in Design curriculum contains courses on interaction design. This 120-credit-hour, four-year, on-campus program also includes a capstone project and a short internship. 
• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. The BA in Psychology program is a 120-credit-hour, four-year, on-campus program. UX design students can benefit from its courses on behavioral science, science and technology, and visual and performing arts.  
• Bachelor of Arts in Informatics with a Concentration in UX Design. The University of Texas at Austin’s School of Information provides a four-year, on-campus undergraduate program for informatics. The six core courses of a concentration in UX design teach students the best practices in user-centered design for web and mobile development. 
• Master of Fine Arts in Design. This graduate program takes a multidisciplinary approach to design by incorporating concepts from anthropology, business, engineering, and art. The duration of this 60-credit-hour program is two years and all lectures are delivered on campus.

University of Texas at Austin Key Takeaway

University of Texas at Austin adopts a multidisciplinary approach to all its UX design programs to produce graduates with a broad range of professional skills.

Founded in 1861, the University of Washington has around 49,000 students across 18 schools and colleges. This public university also offers law, medicine, social work, engineering, and business degree programs. 

University of Washington Overview

• School Type: Public
• Acceptance Rate: 56%
• Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
• Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s to Doctorate
• US News Ranking: 59
• Times Higher Education Ranking: 29

Best University of Washington UX Design Programs

• Graduate Certificate in User-Centered Design. This four-course, on-campus program is designed for post-undergraduate students looking to develop their skills in user experience and digital design. 
• Bachelor of Science in Human-Centered Design and Engineering. The Human-Centered Design and Engineering undergraduate program is a 180-credit program. It provides classes on communication, user research, and interactive systems design, all delivered on campus.
• Bachelor of Design in Interaction Design. Knowledge of interaction design is essential in UX development for computer programs in software engineering. This four-year, 180-credit BDes program prepares students for high-paying UX roles in the tech industry. 
• Master of Science in Human-Centered Design and Engineering. This 50-credit master’s program is designed for students looking to work in senior UX designer roles at leading companies. It includes courses on visualization, interface and product design, and management of complex systems. 
• PhD in Human-Centered Design and Engineering. Graduate students in this 90-credit doctoral program will spend several hours per week researching a chosen technology or design-related topic. 

University of Washington UX Design Key Takeaway

The bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate UX design programs at the University of Washington are ideal for learning how to create seamless experiences for product users.

UX design community college certificates provide postsecondary students with an introduction to the fundamentals of art and interaction design. In most cases, students can get their community college certificate in a year. However, some certificate programs can span two years.

"Career Karma entered my life when I needed it most and quickly helped me match with a bootcamp. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life!"

Venus, Software Engineer at Rockbot

Find Your Bootcamp Match

Students looking to begin their UX design career can get an associate of arts, applied arts, science, or applied science in UX design from an accredited university or community college. UX design associate degree programs typically last for two years. They cover design theory and human-centered design for creating intuitive user interfaces.

A UX design bachelor’s degree program takes three to four years to complete. Graduates from this program are equipped with the technical skills and theoretical foundation they need to build easy-to-use products. 

UX design bachelor’s programs are comprehensive and include design labs and other practical sessions to prepare students for future UX design job roles. In addition to a three-to-four year program, you can get a bachelor’s degree through a part-time program or an online class.

UX design master’s programs are advanced-level, research-based programs for students seeking senior UX design jobs. Depending on the specific program, students will choose or be given a research focus area across one of the many design-related subjects. In addition to research, master’s students take classes on user-research methods, design for complex systems, and several other topics. UX design master’s degrees usually last for about two years. 

UX design graduate certificates are a one-year postgraduate certificate option for people with a bachelor’s degree. Graduate certificates are also pursued by those seeking higher-paying senior UX roles in the industry or academia.

UX doctoral degrees are typically obtained by people with a strong interest in research and academia. However, a UX design doctorate is extremely valuable in industry roles. Most doctorate programs require a minimum of four years to complete. They involve oral seminars and the preparation of a dissertation on a specific, groundbreaking UX design topic.

UX design jobs you can get with an associate degree include associate product manager, desktop publisher, and junior graphic designer. An associate degree in UX design can help you land most entry-level industry roles. Usually, these jobs involve working with a team lead and providing assistance with basic UX design tasks. 

Top UX Design Careers With an Associate Degree

• Associate product manager: $69,569
• Desktop publisher: $46,910
• Junior graphic designer: $42,599

People with a bachelor’s degree in UX Design can work as a UX designer, developer, or product designer. These roles are perfect for people with an undergraduate education because they require extensive knowledge of art and design as well as strong technical skills. 

Top UX Design Careers With a Bachelor’s Degree

• UX designer: $77,200
• UX developer: $77,200
• Product designer: $77,030

The best UX design master’s degree jobs include creative director, UX design lecturer, and interaction designer. UX designers with a master’s degree have the opportunity to work in academia. It also enables graduates to take up leading roles at digital design companies. 

Top UX Design Careers With a Master’s Degree

• Creative director: $100,890
• UX design lecturer: $79,640
• Interaction designer: $77,691

UX design doctorate jobs are typically research-based or managerial roles. Some of the best UX design jobs for people with PhDs are UX director, UX researcher, and UX manager. These roles require PhD graduates to oversee a team of fellow UX designers or professionals from other fields. 

Top UX Design Careers With a PhD

• UX director: $137,851
• UX manager: $116,556
• UX researcher: $96,113

Internships are an excellent way to gain critical industry experience and sharpen your UX design skills. Glassdoor lists internships at Tencent, Amazon.com, and Autodesk as some of the best internships you can apply for as a UX design student.  

Top UX Design Internships 

• Tencent UX Visual Designer Intern: $101,519
• Amazon.com Services LLC UX Designer Intern: $83,000
• Autodesk UX Designer Intern: $72,500 (median)