2026 Best Value Other Design & Applied Arts Schools in Virginia

[Other Design & Applied Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/design-and-applied-arts-other/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong other design & applied arts education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value other design & applied arts schools.
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2026 Best Value Other Design & Applied Arts Schools in Virginia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the other design & applied arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Other Design & Applied Arts Schools
Leading the list is Radford University, our #1 best value for other design & applied arts in Virginia. Radford University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Radford. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,548, compared with $25,633 for out-of-state students. Other Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, other design & applied arts degree recipients from Radford University generally make around $47,271. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Radford University admits about 90% of applicants.
Virginia Commonwealth University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in other design & applied arts, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $16,720, compared with $39,884 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,937 to complete the other design & applied arts program here. Soon after graduation, other design & applied arts degree recipients from Virginia Commonwealth University generally make around $36,156. That is a strong return on a $25,937 median debt. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Marymount University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in other design & applied arts, landing the #3 spot this year. Marymount University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Arlington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $40,120. Typical student debt for other design & applied arts graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, other design & applied arts degree recipients from Marymount University generally make around $44,175. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 93%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked 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 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.