2023 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in New York
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Design & Applied Arts School for You
With 4,391 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, design and applied arts is the #16 most popular major in New York.
With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best 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 New York ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 40 schools in New York 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.
Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. 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.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. 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.
Top 10 Best Design & Applied Arts Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Finger Lakes Community College the best value school in New York for design and applied arts students. Finger Lakes Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Canandaigua.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Finger Lakes Community College are $5,722 a year.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Finger Lakes Community College Report
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend LaGuardia Community College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in New York list. Located in the city of Long Island City, LaGuardia is a public school with a large student population.
LaGuardia undergraduate students pay an average of $5,218 in in-state tuition and fees each year.
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The excellent programs at Fashion Institute of Technology helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best design and applied arts schools in New York. FIT SUNY is a medium-sized public school located in the city of New York.
FIT SUNY undergraduate students pay an average of $7,793 in in-state tuition and fees each year. Design majors at FIT SUNY take out an average of $19,000 in student loans while working on their egree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $288.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Fashion Institute of Technology Report
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A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Kingsborough Community College is a great value for design and applied arts students. Located in the large city of Brooklyn, KCC is a public college with a large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at KCC are $5,252 a year. After completing their degree, design graduates from KCC carry an average student debtload of $6,980.
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Out of the 40 schools in New York that were part of this year’s ranking, Lehman College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in the city of Bronx, Lehman is a public school with a large student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Lehman are $7,410 per year.
Full Design & Applied Arts at Lehman College Report
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SUNY Oneonta landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value design and applied arts programs. SUNY Oneonta is a medium-sized public school located in the remote town of Oneonta.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at SUNY Oneonta are $8,786 a year.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at SUNY Oneonta
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Monroe Community College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value design and applied arts programs. Located in the suburb of Rochester, Monroe Community College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
Monroe Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,662 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that design majors at Monroe Community College take out is $10,826.
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Onondaga 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 #7 on the list. OCC is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Syracuse.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at OCC are $5,754 per year.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Onondaga Community College
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Nassau 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 #9 on the list. Nassau Community College is a fairly large public school located in the large suburb of Garden City.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Nassau Community College are $6,330 a year. After completing their degree, design graduates from Nassau Community College carry an average student debtload of $11,395.
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SUNY Fredonia landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value design and applied arts programs. Located in the town of Fredonia, SUNY Fredonia is a public school with a small student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at SUNY Fredonia are $8,760 per year. After completing their degree, design graduates from SUNY Fredonia carry an average student debtload of $21,875.
Full Design & Applied Arts at SUNY Fredonia Report
Request InformationBest Value Design & Applied Arts Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region
Explore all the Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 1,238 |
| Maryland | 617 |
| New Jersey | 532 |
| District of Columbia | 84 |
| Delaware | 59 |
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings in New York
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.
Majors Similar 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.