Best Online Graphic Design Programs in Royal Oak, MI (2026)

Royal Oak, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering graphic design programs. Royal Oak has a population of about 57,880. Median household income is $95,182 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 62.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area, the top-earning graphic design-related role is Web and Digital Interface Designer at a median $99,450 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Graphic Design Schools to Royal Oak

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer graphic design programs near Royal Oak, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Royal Oak 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 Royal Oak. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Lawrence Technological University

Southfield, MI 5.4 miles from Royal Oak BOC Score 57.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,151
Avg net price $32,918/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Cranbrook Academy of Art

Bloomfield Hills, MI 7.0 miles from Royal Oak
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 3

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

College for Creative Studies

Detroit, MI 11.4 miles from Royal Oak BOC Score 34.0
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 92%
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,860
Avg net price $34,617/yr
Tuition
In‑state$53,350
Out‑of‑state$53,350
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, MI 11.9 miles from Royal Oak BOC Score 69.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,612
Avg net price $9,120/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Henry Ford College

Dearborn, MI 13.4 miles from Royal Oak BOC Score 53.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 22%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,795
Avg net price $660/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 110

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Michigan-Dearborn

Dearborn, MI 13.5 miles from Royal Oak BOC Score 71.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,649
Avg net price $9,492/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Madonna University

Livonia, MI 15.5 miles from Royal Oak BOC Score 60.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,058
Avg net price $17,755/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, MI 30.0 miles from Royal Oak BOC Score 50.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,793
Avg net price $15,407/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 92

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Graphic Design Wages Near Royal Oak

Royal Oak is part of the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area (BLS area code 19820). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Graphic Designer$60,210Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI$60,030
Art Director$95,390Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI$95,105
Web and Digital Interface Designer$99,450Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI$99,153
Special Effects Artist and Animator$86,630MI statewide$86,371

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.


Royal Oak at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population57,880Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$95,182Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+62.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)100.3 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Royal Oak-Area Cities With Graphic Design Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited graphic design schools are near Royal Oak, MI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering graphic design programs near Royal Oak. The closest is Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, MI (5.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Wayne State University (11.4 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying graphic design roles near Royal Oak?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying graphic design-related roles near Royal Oak are: Web and Digital Interface Designer ($99,450), Art Director ($95,390), Special Effects Artist and Animator ($86,630). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Madison Heights instead of Royal Oak?

Madison Heights, MI is 2.6 miles from Royal Oak 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 Royal Oak an affordable place to study graphic design?

Royal Oak’s median household income of $95,182 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Royal Oak while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan 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 Royal Oak

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

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.