2023 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in Texas
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree School for You
In 2020-2021, 1,449 degrees and certificates were awarded to design and applied arts students who went to a Texas college or university. This makes it the #48 most popular major in the state.
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. 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 Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in Texas ranking. This report analyzed 9 schools in Texas to see which ones offered the best value associate degree programs for design students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
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. 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.
Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
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.
Best Texas Schools for Affordable Quality for an Associate in Design & Applied Arts
Our analysis found Collin County Community College District to be the best value school for design and applied arts students who want to pursue a associate degree in Texas. Located in the medium-sized suburb of McKinney, Collin County Community College District is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Collin County Community College District undergraduate students pay an average of $3,094 in in-state tuition and fees each year. After completing their Associate Degree, design graduates from Collin County Community College District carry an average student debtload of $14,236.
Collin County Community College District did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in Texas list.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Collin County Community College District Report
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Out of the 9 schools in Texas that were part of this year’s ranking, El Centro College landed the # 2 spot on the list. El Centro College is a fairly large public school located in the city of Dallas.
El Centro College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,050 in in-state tuition and fees each year. While working on their Associate Degree, design majors at El Centro College accumulate an average of around $17,897 in student debt.
El Centro College not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #2 on our Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in Texas list.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at El Centro College
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The excellent associate degree programs at Austin Community College District helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best value design and applied arts schools in Texas. Austin Community College District is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Austin.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Austin Community College District are $8,580 a year. While working on their Associate Degree, design majors at Austin Community College District accumulate an average of around $20,482 in student debt.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Austin Community College District also is in the top 15% of our Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in Texas ranking.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Austin Community College District
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The excellent associate degree programs at Texas State Technical College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best value design and applied arts schools in Texas. TSTC is a fairly large public school located in the medium-sized city of Waco.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at TSTC are $6,950 a year. Design majors at TSTC take out an average of $15,284 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend San Antonio College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in Texas list. Located in the city of San Antonio, San Antonio College is a public college with a large student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at San Antonio College are $6,592 per year.
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The Art Institute of Dallas landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree design and applied arts programs. Located in the large city of Dallas, The Art Institute of Dallas is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at The Art Institute of Dallas are $19,354 a year. While working on their Associate Degree, design majors at The Art Institute of Dallas accumulate an average of around $23,480 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $241, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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The Art Institute of Austin ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in Texas list. Ai Austin is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the distant town of Austin.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Ai Austin are $19,354 per year. The average amount in student loans that design majors at Ai Austin take out while working on their Associate Degree is $26,491.
Full Design & Applied Arts at The Art Institute of Austin Report
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The Art Institute of San Antonio ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in Texas list. Ai San Antonio is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the city of San Antonio.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Ai San Antonio are $19,354 per year. After completing their Associate Degree, design graduates from Ai San Antonio carry an average student debtload of $26,491.
Full Design & Applied Arts at The Art Institute of San Antonio Report
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The Art Institute of Houston ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools in Texas list. Located in the large city of Houston, Ai Houston is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Ai Houston are $19,354 per year. Design majors at Ai Houston take out an average of $26,491 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
Full Design & Applied Arts at The Art Institute of Houston Report
Request InformationBest Value Design & Applied Arts Colleges in the Southwest Region
Explore all the Best Value Design & Applied Arts Colleges in the Southwest Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Arizona | 594 |
| Oklahoma | 211 |
| New Mexico | 30 |
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings in Texas
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.
Majors Related to Design
Design & Applied Arts is one of 10 different types of programs to choose from.
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 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.