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Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Michigan

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2023 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Michigan

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

15 Colleges
$20,041 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$32,886 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Design & Applied Arts School for You

With 1,011 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, design and applied arts is the #28 most popular major in Michigan.

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.

The Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Michigan ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 15 schools in Michigan to see which ones offered the best value 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.

2023 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Michigan

Check out the design programs at these schools if you want to get the best value for your educational dollar.

Top 10 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools

$6,090 Average Tuition & Fees

Our analysis found Macomb Community College to be the best value school for design and applied arts students who want to pursue a degree in Michigan. Macomb Community College is a large public school located in the medium-sized city of Warren.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Macomb Community College are $6,090 per year. On average, design graduates from Macomb Community College take out $9,255 in student loans while working on their degree.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Macomb Community College also is in the top 15% of our Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Michigan ranking.

Full Design & Applied Arts at Macomb Community College Report

$6,432 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Kalamazoo Valley Community College is a great value for design and applied arts students. Kalamazoo Valley Community College is a medium-sized public school located in the midsize suburb of Kalamazoo.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Kalamazoo Valley Community College are $6,432 a year.

Read More…

#3

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI
$15,966 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 15 schools in Michigan that were part of this year’s ranking, Michigan State University landed the # 3 spot on the list. Michigan State is a very large public school located in the small city of East Lansing.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Michigan State are $15,966 a year. Design majors at Michigan State take out an average of $29,812 in student loans while working on their egree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $433, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

Michigan State also made our Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Michigan list, coming in at #4.

Full Design & Applied Arts at Michigan State University Report

$17,193 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #4 on this year’s list means University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a great value for design and applied arts students. Located in the city of Ann Arbor, U-M is a public college with a fairly large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at U-M are $17,193 a year.

U-M not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #2 on our Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Michigan list.

Full Design & Applied Arts at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Report

#5

Saginaw Valley State University

University Center, MI
$11,130 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent programs at Saginaw Valley State University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best design and applied arts schools in Michigan. Located in the medium-sized suburb of University Center, Saginaw Valley State University is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Saginaw Valley State University are $11,130 a year. Design majors at Saginaw Valley State University take out an average of $27,750 in student loans while working on their egree.

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#6

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI
$13,094 Average Tuition & Fees

Central Michigan University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Michigan ranking. Central Michigan is a large public school located in the town of Mount Pleasant.

Central Michigan undergraduate students pay an average of $13,094 in in-state tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, design majors at Central Michigan accumulate an average of around $27,000 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $296, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Central Michigan University

#6

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI
$13,188 Average Tuition & Fees

Ferris State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Michigan ranking. Ferris is a fairly large public school located in the distant town of Big Rapids.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Ferris are $13,188 per year. After completing their degree, design graduates from Ferris carry an average student debtload of $27,000. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $235.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Ferris State University

$13,434 Average Tuition & Fees

Western Michigan University landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value design and applied arts programs. WMU is a large public school located in the city of Kalamazoo.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WMU are $13,434 per year. Design majors at WMU take out an average of $27,000 in student loans while working on their egree.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Western Michigan University

#9

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, MI
$15,135 Average Tuition & Fees

Oakland University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Michigan ranking. Located in the large suburb of Rochester Hills, Oakland is a public college with a large student population.

Oakland undergraduate students pay an average of $15,135 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that design majors at Oakland take out is $28,063. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $241, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Oakland University

#10

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, MI
$15,500 Average Tuition & Fees

Eastern Michigan University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Michigan list. Eastern Michigan is a large public school located in the suburb of Ypsilanti.

Eastern Michigan undergraduate students pay an average of $15,500 in in-state tuition and fees each year.

Read More…

Best Value Design & Applied Arts Colleges in the Great Lakes Region

Explore all the Best Value Design & Applied Arts Colleges in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Ohio 1,456
Illinois 979
Indiana 417
Wisconsin 717

Design & Applied Arts is one of 10 different types of programs to choose from.

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 15 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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