- 1.UX Designers earn a median salary of $104,500 with 16% projected job growth through 2032 (BLS OES 2024)
- 2.Top-ranked UX Design programs include University of Central Florida, Purdue University-Main Campus, University of Southern California based on graduation rates, program strength, and career outcomes
- 3.Best value: University of Central Florida offers ux design education at $4,478/year with 93% graduation rate
- 4.50 accredited UX Design programs analyzed using IPEDS 2023 completion data
Best UX Design Programs - Top 10 Bachelor's
University of Central Florida
While UCF lacks a dedicated UX Design program, it uniquely positions students through America's Space University innovation ecosystem and the #1-ranked Interactive Entertainment program at FIEA, offering unparalleled access to Orlando's entertainment and technology industries.
Program Overview
The University of Central Florida does not offer a dedicated UX Design master's program among its 90+ graduate degree options. However, UCF provides several related programs that could serve UX Design aspirants. The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Emerging Media offers tracks in Studio Art and Design as well as Animation and Visual Effects, housed within the College of Arts and Humanities. For those interested in the technical side of user experience, the College of Engineering and Computer Science offers an MS in Computer Science and an innovative MS in Interactive Entertainment through the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (FIEA) located in downtown Orlando. The Interactive Entertainment program, ranked #1 nationally by The Princeton Review and PC Gamer magazine, focuses on game design, programming, and 3D artistry while developing problem-solving and project management skills under world-renowned faculty.
Degree Programs
Research Labs & Institutes
World-class facility for game design and interactive entertainment
VR/AR/XR, Human-Centered Design, and Advanced Modeling & Simulation
Industry Partners
Purdue University-Main Campus
Purdue's UX Design program provides students with 3.5 years of real-world client experience through its unique Experience Studio model, while ranking #6 nationally and #2 in the Midwest for UX/UI/HCI programs according to Animation Career Review 2024.
Program Overview
Purdue University's UX Design program, housed within the School of Applied and Creative Computing at the Purdue Polytechnic Institute, offers a distinctive Bachelor of Science degree that emphasizes hands-on, industry-connected learning. What sets this program apart is its dual-studio approach: Learning Studios where students hone fundamental skills, and Experience Studios where they tackle real-world projects with industry sponsors. Students graduate with an impressive 3.5 years of practical experience working with actual clients, building robust portfolios through projects like designing portable DJing features for Spotify or collaborating with medical startups on product development.
The program's curriculum spans user research, visual and interaction design, advanced prototyping, and cross-channel strategies, with courses ranging from imaging technology and web development to advanced UX design studios and data visualization. Students can even graduate in three years through Purdue's accelerated Degree in 3 program. The program benefits from Purdue's strong industry connections, placing graduates at major tech companies while maintaining the intimate, close-knit environment that comes with smaller class sizes and direct faculty mentorship from experts like Professor Paul Parsons, recently honored as Most Distinguished Faculty for Research.
Degree Programs
Industry Partners
Admissions
University of Southern California
USC's strength lies in its interdisciplinary approach through the Iovine and Young Academy and its location in Los Angeles, providing access to the entertainment and tech industries, though it lacks a dedicated UX Design graduate program.
Program Overview
Based on the available sources, USC does not appear to offer a dedicated UX Design graduate program. While the University of Southern California houses 23 schools and academic divisions with extensive graduate offerings spanning business, engineering, cinematic arts, and design, UX Design is not explicitly listed among their graduate programs. The USC Roski School of Art & Design offers graduate programs including an MFA in Art, MFA in Design, and MA in Curatorial Practices and the Public Sphere, which could provide foundational design skills. Additionally, the Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science offers robust programs in human-computer interaction, computer vision, and interactive technologies through their various research labs. Students interested in UX might also explore the USC Iovine and Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation, which focuses on interdisciplinary approaches to technology and design.
Research Labs & Institutes
Human-computer interaction and intelligent systems
Human-robot interaction and social robotics
Touch-based interfaces and virtual reality
Visual recognition and analysis systems
The University of Texas at Dallas
UT Dallas uniquely positions UX design within a broader arts-technology ecosystem, offering the only Certificate in Applied Experience Design and Research that can be paired with any major, while housing cutting-edge research labs like the VAST VR Lab that collaborates with the FAA on aerospace maintenance applications.
The University of Texas at Austin
UT Austin uniquely positions UX education across information science, traditional design, and healthcare through its pioneering M.A. in Design focused on Health program—the first collaboration of its kind between a design school and medical school to reimagine patient experiences and health services.
Texas A & M University-College Station
Texas A&M Visualization is one of only a handful of programs nationwide that equally stresses both technical and artistic aspects of digital media, with an unrivaled track record in student placement at top animation studios and an intensive Summer Industry Course where students work 10 weeks under mentorship from professionals at ILM, Pixar, Disney, and Dreamworks.
University of Florida
63 ux design graduates annually
University of Houston
93 ux design graduates annually
Southern New Hampshire University
308 ux design graduates annually
Northeastern University
13 ux design graduates annually
Best UX Design Programs - Compare Top 5 Bachelor's
| School | Location | Type | Tuition | Grad Rate | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 University of Central Florida | Orlando, FL | Public | $4,478 | 93% | 84.6/100 |
| #2 Purdue University-Main Campus | West Lafayette, IN | Public | $9,718 | 83% | 79.6/100 |
| #3 University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | Private | $66,640 | 92% | 74.8/100 |
| #4 The University of Texas at Dallas | Richardson, TX | Public | $14,564 | 77% | 72.2/100 |
| #5 The University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX | Public | $11,678 | 89% | 68.8/100 |
| Rank | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Central Florida | Orlando, FL | Public | $4,478 | 93% | — | 84.6 |
| 2 | Purdue University-Main Campus | West Lafayette, IN | Public | $9,718 | 83% | — | 79.6 |
| 3 | University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | Private | $66,640 | 92% | — | 74.8 |
| 4 | The University of Texas at Dallas | Richardson, TX | Public | $14,564 | 77% | — | 72.2 |
| 5 | The University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX | Public | $11,678 | 89% | — | 68.8 |
| 6 | Texas A & M University-College Station | College Station, TX | Public | $9,003 | 84% | — | 68.6 |
| 7 | University of Florida | Gainesville, FL | Public | $4,477 | 95% | — | 66.3 |
| 8 | University of Houston | Houston, TX | Public | $8,685 | 91% | — | 64.8 |
| 9 | Southern New Hampshire University | Manchester, NH | Private | $15,450 | 67% | — | 60.4 |
| 10 | Northeastern University | Boston, MA | Private | $62,000 | — | — | 60 |
| 11 | University of Miami | Coral Gables, FL | Private | $58,104 | 94% | — | 59 |
| 12 | Rhode Island School of Design | Providence, RI | Private | $58,690 | 89% | — | 58.7 |
| 13 | Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, NY | Public | $7,070 | 89% | — | 58 |
| 14 | Otis College of Art and Design | Los Angeles, CA | Private | $49,100 | 86% | — | 57.3 |
| 15 | University of Missouri-Columbia | Columbia, MO | Public | $13,008 | 80% | — | 56.7 |
| 16 | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | North Dartmouth, MA | Public | $14,533 | 97% | — | 56.4 |
| 17 | University of Kentucky | Lexington, KY | Public | $11,849 | 75% | — | 55.4 |
| 18 | Kennesaw State University | Kennesaw, GA | Public | $4,450 | 66% | — | 55 |
| 19 | Lipscomb University | Nashville, TN | Private | $35,848 | 90% | — | 54.3 |
| 20 | Michigan State University | East Lansing, MI | Public | $16,930 | 87% | — | 53.6 |
| 21 | Brigham Young University | Provo, UT | Private | $6,496 | 91% | — | 53.5 |
| 22 | Florida Gulf Coast University | Fort Myers, FL | Public | $4,191 | 95% | — | 53.3 |
| 23 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | Wilmington, NC | Public | $4,443 | 79% | — | 53.1 |
| 24 | Wichita State University | Wichita, KS | Public | $7,247 | 87% | — | 52.9 |
| 25 | Atlantic University | Guaynabo, PR | Private | $6,120 | — | — | 52.6 |
| 26 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | Whitewater, WI | Public | $6,812 | 92% | — | 52.1 |
| 27 | North Carolina A & T State University | Greensboro, NC | Public | $3,540 | 84% | — | 52 |
| 28 | Ohio University-Main Campus | Athens, OH | Public | $13,746 | 88% | — | 51.7 |
| 29 | Florida International University | Miami, FL | Public | $4,721 | — | — | 51.3 |
| 30 | Georgian Court University | Lakewood, NJ | Private | $35,360 | 96% | — | 51.3 |
| 31 | Elmhurst University | Elmhurst, IL | Private | $41,258 | 82% | — | 51 |
| 32 | Purdue University Northwest | Hammond, IN | Public | $7,259 | 92% | — | 50.8 |
| 33 | Dakota State University | Madison, SD | Public | $7,616 | 93% | — | 50.4 |
| 34 | University of St Thomas | Saint Paul, MN | Private | $50,788 | 89% | — | 50 |
| 35 | Lewis University | Romeoville, IL | Private | $37,592 | 99% | — | 49.8 |
| 36 | SUNY Old Westbury | Old Westbury, NY | Public | $7,070 | 93% | — | 49.3 |
| 37 | Liberty University | Lynchburg, VA | Private | $15,015 | 78% | — | 49.1 |
| 38 | Dominican University of California | San Rafael, CA | Private | $49,821 | 96% | — | 48.5 |
| 39 | Moore College of Art and Design | Philadelphia, PA | Private | $48,256 | 86% | — | 47.9 |
| 40 | Elizabeth City State University | Elizabeth City, NC | Public | $1,000 | 99% | — | 47.9 |
| 41 | College of Our Lady of the Elms | Chicopee, MA | Private | $40,095 | 88% | — | 47 |
| 42 | Southwestern College | Winfield, KS | Private | $38,330 | 96% | — | 46.9 |
| 43 | Hawaii Pacific University | Honolulu, HI | Private | $35,580 | 90% | — | 46.7 |
| 44 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | Belton, TX | Private | $30,600 | 91% | — | 46.7 |
| 45 | Lander University | Greenwood, SC | Public | $10,700 | 91% | — | 46.2 |
| 46 | Johnson University | Knoxville, TN | Private | $18,428 | 87% | — | 46.1 |
| 47 | Wilmington University | New Castle, DE | Private | $12,270 | — | — | 45.9 |
| 48 | Daemen University | Amherst, NY | Private | $33,054 | — | — | 45.7 |
| 49 | SUNY Oneonta | Oneonta, NY | Public | $7,070 | — | — | 45.3 |
| 50 | Tarleton State University | Stephenville, TX | Public | $4,416 | 69% | — | 44.8 |
UX Design Bachelor's Programs Overview
User Experience (UX) design has emerged as one of the most critical disciplines in technology, with companies like Apple, Google, and Airbnb attributing much of their success to superior user experience. The BLS projects 13% job growth for UX designers through 2032, significantly faster than average, driven by the continued expansion of digital products and services.
Modern UX design programs integrate psychology, design principles, technology, and business strategy. Students learn user research methodologies, wireframing and prototyping tools like Figma and Adobe XD, usability testing, and design systems. The most competitive programs emphasize real-world experience through industry partnerships, internship programs, and portfolio development.
This comprehensive ranking analyzes 245 accredited programs using IPEDS 2023 data combined with industry outcome metrics. We evaluate factors including graduation rates, student-faculty ratios, portfolio quality, industry partnerships, and career placement rates. Related degree options include software engineering for technical UX roles, data science for UX research positions, and specialized UX design master's programs for advanced study.
Career Paths
UX/UI Designer
SOC 27-1024Create user interfaces and experiences for digital products, conducting user research and designing wireframes, prototypes, and visual designs.
UX Researcher
SOC 19-3051Conduct user research, usability testing, and data analysis to inform design decisions and validate product concepts.
Product Designer
SOC 27-1024Lead end-to-end product design from concept to launch, working closely with product managers and engineers to create comprehensive user experiences.
Interaction Designer
SOC 27-1024Focus on how users interact with digital products, designing micro-interactions, animations, and interface behaviors.
Service Designer
SOC 27-1024Design comprehensive service experiences across multiple touchpoints, often working on enterprise or government projects.
Design Systems Lead
SOC 27-1024Create and maintain design systems and component libraries used across product teams, ensuring consistency and efficiency.
UX Design Bachelor's Programs by State
California
New York
Texas
Pennsylvania
Illinois
Florida
Ohio
Georgia
Washington
Massachusetts
Financial Aid and Funding for UX Design Programs
UX design students have access to various funding sources including federal financial aid, institutional scholarships, and industry-specific awards. Many design programs offer merit-based scholarships for portfolio quality, and several technology companies sponsor diversity initiatives in design education. Students should explore comprehensive financial aid resources and consider programs with strong job placement rates to optimize return on investment.
The National Art Education Association and Adobe offer scholarships specifically for design students, while organizations like Women in UX provide funding for underrepresented groups. Many employers also offer tuition reimbursement programs for employees pursuing design degrees, making part-time study an attractive option for working professionals.
Frequently Asked Questions About UX Design Programs
Based on 245 programs from IPEDS 2023, BLS OES May 2024
Degree completions (sqrt normalized, capped at 500)
6-year completion rate from IPEDS 2023
State-specific salary data from BLS OES 2024
Admission rate (lower = more selective)
Institution type (R1/R2 research bonus)
CAE-CD designation, curator bonuses
Data completeness proxy
Reporting completeness
Taylor Rupe
Full-Stack Developer (B.S. Computer Science, B.A. Psychology)
Taylor combines formal training in computer science with a background in human behavior to evaluate complex search, AI, and data-driven topics. His technical review ensures each article reflects current best practices in semantic search, AI systems, and web technology.