2023 Best Value Graphic Communications Bachelor's Degree Schools in California
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Graphic Communications Bachelor's Degree School for You
Graphic Communications is the #93 most popular major in California with 1,036 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Value Graphic Communications Bachelor's Degree Schools in California ranking. This report analyzed 9 schools in California to see which ones offered the best value bachelor's degree programs for graphic communication students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
Best California Schools for Affordable Quality for a Bachelor's in Graphic Communications
Our 2023 rankings named California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo the best value school in California for graphic communications students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a public school with a very large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo are $10,195 a year. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $266.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also is in the top 10% of our Best Graphic Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking.
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The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Academy of Art University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best value graphic communications schools in California. Academy of Art University is a medium-sized private for-profit school located in the large city of San Francisco.
Academy of Art University undergraduate students pay an average of $25,424 in in-state tuition and fees each year. While working on their Bachelor's Degree, graphic communication majors at Academy of Art University accumulate an average of around $36,725 in student debt. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $1,111.
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The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Art Center College of Design helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best value graphic communications schools in California. Art Center College of Design is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pasadena.
Art Center College of Design undergraduate students pay an average of $48,044 in in-state tuition and fees each year.
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A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Cogswell College is a great value for graphic communications students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the large city of San Jose, Cogswell is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Cogswell are $21,784 per year. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $629, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at SAE Expression College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best value graphic communications schools in California. SAE Expression College is a small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of Emeryville.
SAE Expression College undergraduate students pay an average of $25,672 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that graphic communication majors at SAE Expression College take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $35,619.
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With a ranking of #6, Laguna College of Art and Design did quite well on this year’s best value schools for graphic communications students working on their bachelor’s degree. LCAD is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Laguna Beach.
LCAD undergraduate students pay an average of $33,600 in in-state tuition and fees each year.
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California College of the Arts ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Graphic Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. California College of the Arts is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of San Francisco.
California College of the Arts undergraduate students pay an average of $52,312 in in-state tuition and fees each year. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $292.
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Laurus College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Graphic Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. Laurus College is a small private for-profit school located in the small city of San Luis Obispo.
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Los Angeles Film School ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Graphic Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. LA Film School is a moderately-sized private for-profit school located in the city of Hollywood.
Graphic Communication majors at LA Film School take out an average of $38,482 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.
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Request InformationBest Value Graphic Communications Colleges in the Far Western US Region
Explore all the Best Value Graphic Communications Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Washington | 150 |
| Oregon | 16 |
| Nevada | 0 |
| Hawaii | 113 |
More Graphic Communications Rankings in California
Graphic Communications Related Majors for Graphic Communication
One of 3 majors within the area of study, graphic communications has other similar majors worth exploring.
Most Popular Majors Related to Graphic Communication
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Audiovisual Communications | 6,229 |
| Communications Technology | 915 |
| Other Communication Technology | 164 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 9 schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Auburn University College of Architecture, Design and Construction.
More about our data sources and methodologies.