University of Minnesota College of Design
The University of Minnesota College of Design is a public design college offering eight undergraduate degrees and 24+ graduate programs in architecture, apparel, graphic, UX, product, and landscape design, supported by nine research centers and labs and serving students plus industry partners.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What University of Minnesota College of Design does
The University of Minnesota College of Design is a constituent college of the University of Minnesota, a public land-grant research university, established in its current form in 2006 by uniting the former Department of Design, Housing, and Apparel with the College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. The college delivers undergraduate and graduate design education across eight undergraduate degrees and more than 24 graduate degree options spanning Apparel Design, Architecture, Graphic Design, Human Factors and Ergonomics, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Product Design, Retail and Consumer Studies, and the newly launched User Experience (UX) Design BS.
The college operates a research and infrastructure platform that includes nine or more research, creative scholarship, and engagement centers and labs, including the Center for Retail Design and Innovation, Center for Sustainable Building Research, Digital Design Center, Minnesota Design Center, Goldstein Museum of Design (36,000+ object collection), Human Dimensioning Lab (3D/4D body scanning), Wearable Technology Lab, Geosocial Visualization Lab, and CoLab. Facilities span two primary campuses: McNeal Hall in St. Paul and Rapson Hall on the Minneapolis East Bank, supported by fabrication shops, computer labs, and 24/7 studio access. Programs hold CIDA accreditation for Interior Design and LAAB accreditation for Landscape Architecture.
The college generates revenue through tuition and fees (varying by residency status and program), federal, state, and private research grants and contracts, and private donations and endowments managed via the University of Minnesota Foundation. Customer segments are prospective undergraduate and graduate students, including international students with a separate admissions track, while industry partners including Target, 3M, Best Buy, Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and Google function primarily as employers and mentors rather than paying customers. Distribution is primarily direct through UMN's centralized undergraduate, graduate, and international admissions offices, supplemented by a student ambassador program, the Design Mentor Program, and multi-channel organic marketing across Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.
University of Minnesota College of Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- University of Minnesota College of Design
- Legal name
- Regents of the University of Minnesota
- Website
- https://design.umn.edu
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The University of Minnesota College of Design is a public design college offering eight undergraduate degrees and 24+ graduate programs in architecture, apparel, graphic, UX, product, and landscape design, supported by nine research centers and labs and serving students plus industry partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
University of Minnesota College of Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education - Design
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Industrial Design Services (541420)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Design Colleges (Graphic, Industrial, UX/UI, Interior) (EDAHAJAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Architecture Schools (within Arts & Design institutions) (EDAHAJAG), Fashion & Apparel Design Colleges (EDAHAJAF), Learning Experience Design (LXD) & UX for Learning (EDAGAKAF), Industrial/Product & Furniture Design (BPAHAKAM)
Keywords
Where University of Minnesota College of Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
University of Minnesota College of Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: Public university college generating revenue primarily through undergraduate and graduate tuition from in-state and out-of-state students, with costs varying based on residency status and program
- Research Grants and Contracts: Federal, state, and private research funding through grants and contracts supporting faculty research activities across design disciplines
- Private Donations and Endowments: Alumni and supporter donations including design justice initiatives, scholarships, and fellowship funding
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Undergraduate Cost of Attendance |
| Subscription | Annual | Graduate Cost of Attendance |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
University of Minnesota College of Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The University of Minnesota College of Design is a public higher education college offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs across design disciplines including Apparel Design, Architecture, Graphic Design, Human Factors & Ergonomics, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Product Design, Retail and Consumer Studies, and User Experience (UX) Design. The college operates research centers, fabrication shops, and a design museum that support studio-based teaching, prototyping, and industry-partnered scholarship.
Product overview
The University of Minnesota College of Design is an educational institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of undergraduate and graduate degree programs across design disciplines, along with research centers, labs, and museums. The academic programs include Apparel Design, Architecture, Graphic Design, Human Factors & Ergonomics, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Product Design, Retail and Consumer Studies, and User Experience (UX) Design. Supporting the educational mission are research units including the Center for Retail Design & Innovation, Center for Sustainable Building Research, Digital Design Center, Minnesota Design Center, Goldstein Museum of Design, and specialized labs such as the Wearable Technology Lab, Human Dimensioning Lab, Geospatial Visualization Lab, and CoLab. The college operates as a platform-based educational ecosystem with minors, graduate certificates, and undergraduate degree programs as core offerings, supplemented by research centers that provide industry partnerships and applied research opportunities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Department of Design Innovation: Department encompassing Graphic Design, Apparel Design, Retail and Consumer Studies, Product Design, and User Experience Design
- Department of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Interior Design (ALI)
- Goldstein Museum of Design
- Kusske Design Initiative
Products and services
- Apparel Design
- Architecture
- Graphic Design
- Human Factors & Ergonomics
- Interior Design
- Landscape Architecture
- Product Design
- Retail and Consumer Studies
- User Experience (UX) Design
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly $274 million in revenue generated by UMN researcher inventions over past five years
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use University of Minnesota College of Design
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
University of Minnesota College of Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
University of Minnesota College of Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights5 records
University of Minnesota College of Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cranbrook Academy of Art: Postgraduate-only design school in Michigan known for architecture, 3D/industrial design, and graphic design. Comparable as a top-tier U.S. design graduate institution competing for the same advanced design students.
- Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): One of the oldest and most prestigious standalone art and design colleges in the U.S. Direct peer as a specialized higher-education institution offering a similarly broad range of design disciplines (architecture, apparel, graphic design, industrial design, interior design) and competing for the same prospective design students.
- Pratt Institute: Independent design school offering architecture, interior design, industrial/product design, apparel, and graphic design programs with strong industry connections. Directly comparable scope of design disciplines and student outcomes focus.
- Illinois Institute of Technology College of Architecture: Midwest architecture and design college within a private research university offering architecture, interior architecture, and product design. Comparable as a regional competitor for architecture/interior design students in the Midwest.
- Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD): Large private college specializing in design disciplines including architecture, interior design, fashion, UX, and product design. Comparable comprehensive design portfolio at similar enrollment scale to UMN College of Design.
- Carnegie Mellon School of Design: Design school within a top research university offering product, UX, and design-research programs. Comparable as a design college embedded in a research university with technology and human-factors focus.
- Parsons School of Design (The New School): Major urban design school within a private university offering fashion, product, graphic, interior, and UX design programs. Comparable to UMN College of Design as a comprehensive design college with strong industry/employer ties (NYC vs. Twin Cities) and an explicit focus on design disciplines.
- California College of the Arts: Independent design college offering architecture, interior design, industrial design, graphic design, and apparel programs. Comparable comprehensive design portfolio at similar scale to UMN College of Design.
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC): Major standalone art and design college in the Midwest offering fashion, architecture, interior design, and design research. Comparable as a comprehensive design college competitor in the same Midwest region with similar program breadth.
- ArtCenter College of Design: Specialized private design college with strong product, transportation, industrial, and graphic design programs. Direct peer in product/industrial design and design-research education, comparable in scale and focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
University of Minnesota College of Design social profiles
Digital presenceUniversity of Minnesota College of Design compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
University of Minnesota College of Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
University of Minnesota College of Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
University of Minnesota College of Design subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries10 records
University of Minnesota College of Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
University of Minnesota College of Design M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about University of Minnesota College of Design
What does University of Minnesota College of Design do?
The University of Minnesota College of Design is a public higher education college offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs across design disciplines including Apparel Design, Architecture, Graphic Design, Human Factors & Ergonomics, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Product Design, Retail and Consumer Studies, and User Experience (UX) Design. The college operates research centers, fabrication shops, and a design museum that support studio-based teaching, prototyping, and industry-partnered scholarship.
Is University of Minnesota College of Design a public or private company?
University of Minnesota College of Design is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was University of Minnesota College of Design founded?
University of Minnesota College of Design was founded in 2006. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is University of Minnesota College of Design based?
University of Minnesota College of Design is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does University of Minnesota College of Design make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are research Grants and Contracts and private Donations and Endowments.
Who are University of Minnesota College of Design's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cranbrook Academy of Art, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Pratt Institute, Illinois Institute of Technology College of Architecture, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Carnegie Mellon School of Design, Parsons School of Design (The New School), California College of the Arts, School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and ArtCenter College of Design.
Does University of Minnesota College of Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for University of Minnesota College of Design.
What industry is University of Minnesota College of Design in?
University of Minnesota College of Design's product category is Higher Education - Design. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAJAB, Design Colleges (Graphic, Industrial, UX/UI, Interior), with a secondary code of EDAHAJAG, Architecture Schools (within Arts & Design institutions). Its NAICS code is 54131.