2023 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
Finding the Best Design & Applied Arts School for You
Design & Applied Arts is the #36 most popular major in the country with 36,301 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
Today's students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools ranking. Our analysis looked at 459 schools in the United States to see which programs offered the best value experiences for design students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.
When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.
Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
Featured Design Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
BA in Graphic Design & Media Arts
Translate your creative ideas through concept, design and digital media with a bachelor's in graphic design online from Southern New Hampshire University.
Top 25 Best Schools for Affordable Quality in Design & Applied Arts
Our analysis found Alexandria Technical & Community College to be the best value school for design and applied arts students who want to pursue a degree in the United States. ATCC is a small public school located in the town of Alexandria.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at ATCC are $5,910 per year. Design majors at ATCC take out an average of $12,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, ATCC also did well on our Best Design & Applied Arts Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Alexandria Technical & Community College Report
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Out of the 459 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Madison Area Technical College landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in the large city of Madison, Madison College is a public college with a large student population.
Madison College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,769 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, design majors at Madison College accumulate an average of around $14,374 in student debt.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Madison College also did well on our Best Design & Applied Arts Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
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Out of the 459 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, LDS Business College landed the # 3 spot on the list. LDS Business College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Salt Lake City.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at LDS Business College are $3,656 a year.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Metropolitan Community College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools list. Located in the city of Omaha, MCC is a public college with a fairly large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at MCC are $4,680 a year. While working on their degree, design majors at MCC accumulate an average of around $12,098 in student debt.
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Out of the 459 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Collin County Community College District landed the # 5 spot on the list. Collin County Community College District is a fairly large public school located in the midsize suburb of McKinney.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Collin County Community College District are $5,104 a year.
In addition to its great value ranking, Collin County Community College District is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Design & Applied Arts Schools list.
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With a ranking of #6, Waukesha County Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for design and applied arts students. Located in the large suburb of Pewaukee, WCTC is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WCTC are $6,603 per year. The average amount in student loans that design majors at WCTC take out is $15,554.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Waukesha County Technical College Report
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Johnson County Community College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools list. Located in the city of Overland Park, JCCC is a public school with a large student population.
JCCC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,352 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, design graduates from JCCC carry an average student debtload of $11,449.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, JCCC also is in the top 15% of our Best Design & Applied Arts Schools ranking.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Johnson County Community College Report
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Brigham Young University - Provo came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools ranking. BYU is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Provo.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BYU are $6,120 per year. While working on their degree, design majors at BYU accumulate an average of around $10,250 in student debt.
In addition to its great value ranking, BYU is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Design & Applied Arts Schools list.
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Century College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for design and applied arts students. It came in at #9 on the list. Century College is a medium-sized public school located in the large suburb of White Bear Lake.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Century College are $5,907 a year.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Century College also is in the top 20% of our Best Design & Applied Arts Schools ranking.
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Bismarck State College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools list. BSC is a small public school located in the small city of Bismarck.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at BSC are $6,930 a year. While working on their degree, design majors at BSC accumulate an average of around $12,000 in student debt.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, BSC also is in the top 5% of our Best Design & Applied Arts Schools ranking.
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With a ranking of #11, Finger Lakes Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for design and applied arts students. Located in the rural area of Canandaigua, Finger Lakes Community College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
Finger Lakes Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,710 in tuition and fees each year.
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With a ranking of #12, Scottsdale Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for design and applied arts students. Located in the rural area of Scottsdale, Scottsdale Community College is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Scottsdale Community College are $7,854 a year. The average amount in student loans that design majors at Scottsdale Community College take out is $12,000.
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Spokane Falls Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for design and applied arts students. It came in at #13 on the list. Spokane Falls Community College is a small public school located in the midsize city of Spokane.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Spokane Falls Community College are $5,135 a year. While working on their degree, design majors at Spokane Falls Community College accumulate an average of around $14,193 in student debt.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Spokane Falls Community College Report
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With a ranking of #14, Western Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for design and applied arts students. Located in the city of La Crosse, Western Technical College is a public college with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Western Technical College are $6,687 a year. On average, design graduates from Western Technical College take out $13,500 in student loans while working on their degree.
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With a ranking of #15, Gwinnett Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for design and applied arts students. Located in the large suburb of Lawrenceville, GTC is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
GTC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,636 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that design majors at GTC take out is $16,605.
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Bellevue University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools list. Located in the suburb of Bellevue, Bellevue University is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Bellevue University are $8,310 per year. Design majors at Bellevue University take out an average of $29,510 in student loans while working on their egree.
In addition to its great value ranking, Bellevue University is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Design & Applied Arts Schools list.
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With a ranking of #17, Milwaukee Area Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for design and applied arts students. MATC is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Milwaukee.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at MATC are $6,908 a year.
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Gateway Technical College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools list. Gateway Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the medium-sized suburb of Kenosha.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Gateway Technical College are $6,803 a year. Design majors at Gateway Technical College take out an average of $14,333 in student loans while working on their egree.
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Macomb Community College landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value design and applied arts programs. Located in the medium-sized city of Warren, Macomb Community College is a public school with a fairly large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Macomb Community College are $7,680 a year. While working on their degree, design majors at Macomb Community College accumulate an average of around $9,255 in student debt.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Macomb Community College also did well on our Best Design & Applied Arts Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Macomb Community College Report
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Bemidji State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for design and applied arts students. It came in at #20 on the list. Bemidji State University is a small public school located in the town of Bemidji.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Bemidji State University are $9,806 per year. On average, design graduates from Bemidji State University take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
Bemidji State University also claimed a spot on our Best Design & Applied Arts Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
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Minneapolis Community and Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for design and applied arts students. It came in at #21 on the list. Minneapolis Community and Technical College is a medium-sized public school located in the city of Minneapolis.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Minneapolis Community and Technical College are $5,906 per year. On average, design graduates from Minneapolis Community and Technical College take out $32,750 in student loans while working on their degree.
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El Centro College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools list. Located in the large city of Dallas, El Centro College is a public college with a very large student population.
El Centro College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,000 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, design graduates from El Centro College carry an average student debtload of $13,365.
El Centro College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Design & Applied Arts Schools list.
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Sinclair Community College landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value design and applied arts programs. Sinclair Community College is a fairly large public school located in the medium-sized city of Dayton.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Sinclair Community College are $8,076 a year. While working on their degree, design majors at Sinclair Community College accumulate an average of around $14,075 in student debt.
Sinclair Community College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Design & Applied Arts Schools list.
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Ivy Tech Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for design and applied arts students. It came in at #24 on the list. Ivy Tech Community College is a fairly large public school located in the city of Indianapolis.
Ivy Tech Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $8,927 in tuition and fees each year. Design majors at Ivy Tech Community College take out an average of $13,912 in student loans while working on their egree.
Ivy Tech Community College also claimed a spot on our Best Design & Applied Arts Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
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Franklin University landed the #25 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value design and applied arts programs. Located in the city of Columbus, Franklin University is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Franklin University are $9,577 per year. On average, design graduates from Franklin University take out $43,242 in student loans while working on their degree.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Franklin University
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Additional Award Winners
This list represents the rest of the colleges awarded a Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 15% of the 459 different United States design and applied arts schools we analyzed.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Holyoke Community College | Holyoke, MA |
| 52 | Ferris State University | Big Rapids, MI |
| 53 | Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant, MI |
| 54 | EDP University - San Juan | San Juan, PR |
| 55 | Lehigh Carbon Community College | Schnecksville, PA |
| 56 | Northwest College | Powell, WY |
| 57 | Salt Lake Community College | Salt Lake City, UT |
| 58 | University of Akron Main Campus | Akron, OH |
| 59 | Arizona State University - Skysong | Scottsdale, AZ |
| 60 | Kingsborough Community College | Brooklyn, NY |
| 61 | University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point | Stevens Point, WI |
| 62 | Brookdale Community College | Lincroft, NJ |
| 62 | College of Southern Nevada | Las Vegas, NV |
| 64 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | Kutztown, PA |
| 65 | Liberty University | Lynchburg, VA |
| 66 | San Jose State University | San Jose, CA |
| 67 | Kalamazoo Valley Community College | Kalamazoo, MI |
| 67 | Los Angeles Trade Technical College | Los Angeles, CA |
Honorable Mentions
Here are some additional great value schools for Design & Applied Arts students seeking value that almost earned our Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools award.
Design & Applied Arts by Region
View the Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Great Lakes |
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings
Other Related Design Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
BA in Graphic Design & Media Arts
Translate your creative ideas through concept, design and digital media with a bachelor's in graphic design online from Southern New Hampshire University.
Take the first step toward a career of visual expression and doing what you love with this online associate degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
Learn to create a striking portfolio and hone the skills you need to succeed in the world of professional photography with this online digital photography degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
Design & Applied Arts Related Majors for Design
One of 10 majors within the area of study, design and applied arts has other similar majors worth exploring.
Most Popular Majors Related to Design
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Fine & Studio Arts | 37,413 |
| Music | 25,910 |
| Drama & Theater Arts | 17,341 |
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 16,778 |
| General Visual & Performing Arts | 6,355 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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