Best Online Graphic Design Programs in Montrose, CO (2026)

Montrose, Colorado has 2 accredited schools offering graphic design programs, with tuition ranging from $2,616 to $14,799 per year for indexed programs. Montrose has a population of about 20,703. Median household income is $63,177 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 33.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Colorado, the top-earning graphic design-related role is Art Director at a median $99,990 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Graphic Design Schools to Montrose

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer graphic design programs near Montrose, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Montrose city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Montrose. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Colorado Mesa University

Grand Junction, CO 56.6 miles from Montrose BOC Score 56.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,823
Avg net price $15,103/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Colorado Mountain College

Glenwood Springs, CO 79.8 miles from Montrose BOC Score 52.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 27%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,127
Avg net price $7,813/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,616
Out‑of‑state$12,840
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 47%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Pikes Peak State College

Colorado Springs, CO 167.1 miles from Montrose BOC Score 50.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 23%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,796
Avg net price $6,007/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Red Rocks Community College

Lakewood, CO 168.4 miles from Montrose BOC Score 64.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,288
Avg net price $9,044/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 78

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Arapahoe Community College

Littleton, CO 171.6 miles from Montrose BOC Score 57.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,341
Avg net price $11,571/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design

Lakewood, CO 173.4 miles from Montrose BOC Score 21.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,958
Avg net price $32,363/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 56%
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Pueblo Community College

Pueblo, CO 175.1 miles from Montrose BOC Score 51.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,434
Avg net price $12,045/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Denver

Denver, CO 176.4 miles from Montrose BOC Score 70.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,155
Avg net price $36,131/yr
Tuition
In‑state$61,398
Out‑of‑state$61,398
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Colorado schools on the Colorado graphic design page.


Graphic Design Wages Near Montrose

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Colorado, statewide)
Graphic Designer$66,330
Art Director$99,990
Web and Digital Interface Designer$95,880
Special Effects Artist and Animator$91,290

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Montrose at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population20,703Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$63,177Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+33.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Montrose-Area Cities With Graphic Design Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited graphic design schools are near Montrose, CO?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering graphic design programs near Montrose. The closest is Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, CO (56.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Colorado Mountain College (79.8 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying graphic design roles in Colorado?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying graphic design-related roles in Colorado are: Art Director ($99,990), Web and Digital Interface Designer ($95,880), Special Effects Artist and Animator ($91,290). Wages for Montrose workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Grand Junction instead of Montrose?

Grand Junction, CO is 57.3 miles from Montrose and has its own set of local graphic design programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Montrose an affordable place to study graphic design?

Montrose’s median household income of $63,177 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Montrose while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Colorado public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Graphic Design Programs

Other Programs Available in Montrose

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Montrose:

Data verified: July 30, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.