Animation Career Review ranked Michigan State University’s graphic design program No. 1 in Michigan two years in a row, and No. 9 in the Midwest in 2024, up from No. 11 in 2023.

“Being recognized as the top graphic design program in Michigan allows us to keep pushing ourselves and our students, as we remain committed to ethical self-expression in a society in need of justice and renewal,” said Tani Hartman, chair and professor in the Department of Art, Art History and Design in the College of Arts and Letters at MSU.

Among U.S. universities, MSU’s Graphic Design program ranked No. 41 and ranked No. 19 among public universities, moving up from No. 43 and No. 20, respectively, in the 2023 rankings by Animation Career Review.

MSU undergraduate students majoring in Graphic Design have the opportunity to join the Design Center creative team within AAHD for a real-world agency-like experience, as well as have opportunities for internships with national and international companies.

“The graphic design program at MSU is composed of vibrant and thoughtful faculty who use the lens of graphic design to examine and to address some of the most pressing issues of our times such as the effects of climate change, the meaning and impact of big data, and the rights of women and underrepresented people,” Hartman said. “As a result, graphic design is one of the top majors in the College of Arts and Letters.”

Animation Career Review ranks college graphic design programs based on the criteria of academic reputation, employment data, admission selectivity, depth and breadth of program, value related to tuition and indebtedness, graduation rate and retention rate. For the 2024 rankings, close to 700 U.S. schools with graphic design programs were reviewed.