Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Graphic Design (Income $0-$30k)

215 Ranked Colleges
5,098 Degrees Awarded
$7,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $0-$30k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 8,541 people earned their degree in graphic design, making the major the 105th most popular in the United States.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 5,098 graphic design graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 215 colleges that offered a degree in graphic design. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great graphic design programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the graphic design program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Graphic Design Schools

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Graphic Design (Income $0-$30k)

#1

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Gainesville, Florida, this large public school awarded 24 degrees to qualified bachelors’s graphic design students in 2019-2020.

UF also made our “Best Graphic Design Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend University of Florida is $1,994 for bachelor’s degree graphic design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UF Graphic Design Report

#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school handed out 56 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s graphic design students in 2019-2020.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Graphic Design Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $5,477 for Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Graphic Design at UIUC

#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school awarded 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s graphic design students in 2019-2020.

UW Seattle not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Graphic Design Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UW Seattle is $7,850 for Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Graphic Design at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

#4

Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, New York
#6 in overall quality

Out of the 215 schools in the Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Fashion Institute of Technology landed the #4 spot on the list. Fashion Institute of Technology is a public institution located in New York, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

FIT SUNY also took the #6 spot in our “Best Graphic Design Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Fashion Institute of Technology is $7,123 for bachelor’s degree graphic design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read full report on Graphic Design at FIT SUNY

#5

Queens College

Queens, New York

Out of the 215 schools in the Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Queens College landed the #5 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Queens, New York, and it awarded 102 bachelors’s graphic design degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for QC is $1,255 for Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Queens College Graphic Design Report

#6

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina
#11 in overall quality

North Carolina State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. North Carolina State University is a public institution located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree graphic design students whose families make $0-$30k list, NC State has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Graphic Design Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Carolina State University is $7,285 for bachelor’s degree graphic design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read more about Graphic Design at NC State

#7

Lehman College

Bronx, New York

Lehman College landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Bronx, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s graphic design degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Lehman is $234 for bachelor’s degree graphic design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Graphic Design at Lehman

#8

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#13 in overall quality

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UMN Twin Cities is a public institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a large population, and it awarded 92 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Graphic Design Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $7,266 for Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Graphic Design at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

#9

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#22 in overall quality

Michigan State University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Michigan State University is a large public school situated in East Lansing, Michigan. It awarded 35 bachelors’s graphic design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree graphic design students whose families make $0-$30k list, Michigan State has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Graphic Design Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State is $6,686 for bachelor’s degree graphic design students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Graphic Design at Michigan State University

California State University - Fresno did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Fresno, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s graphic design degrees to 37 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $3,264 for bachelor’s degree graphic design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Fresno State.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Graphic Design at California State University - Fresno

#11

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Northeastern University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northeastern University is a large school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 36 bachelors’s graphic design degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Graphic Design Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $10,239 for Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northeastern University.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full Northeastern Graphic Design Report

#8 in overall quality

Iowa State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. Ames, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s graphic design degrees to 70 students in 2019-2020.

Iowa State also took the #8 spot in our “Best Graphic Design Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa State University is $10,054 for bachelor’s degree graphic design students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Graphic Design at Iowa State

#13

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina
Top 15% in overall quality

Appalachian State University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Boone, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s graphic design degrees to 54 students in 2019-2020.

Appalachian State also claimed a top spot on our “Best Graphic Design Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Graphic Design Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Appalachian State is $7,169 for bachelor’s degree graphic design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full Appalachian State University Graphic Design Report

University of South Florida - Main Campus came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a public institution located in Tampa, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $3,950 for Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full USF Tampa Graphic Design Report

#15

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, Wisconsin
#17 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Stout did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. UW - Stout is a public institution located in Menomonie, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Stout did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Graphic Design Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Stout is $10,695 for bachelor’s degree graphic design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Graphic Design at UW - Stout

Top 15% in overall quality

Arizona State University - Tempe landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s graphic design degrees to 45 students in 2019-2020.

ASU - Tempe excels when it comes to graphic design quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Graphic Design Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Arizona State University - Tempe is $7,044 for bachelor’s degree graphic design students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Graphic Design at ASU - Tempe

Top 15% in overall quality

Brigham Young University - Provo did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. Brigham Young University - Provo is a private not-for-profit institution located in Provo, Utah. The school has a large population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

BYU excels when it comes to graphic design quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. It costs about $8,834 for bachelor’s degree graphic design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Brigham Young University - Provo.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Full Brigham Young University - Provo Graphic Design Report

#18

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, Michigan

Ferris State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Ferris State University is a fairly large public school situated in Big Rapids, Michigan. It awarded 27 bachelors’s graphic design degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Ferris is $7,207 for Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Graphic Design at Ferris

#19

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts
#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, Boston University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 27 degrees to qualified bachelors’s graphic design students in 2019-2020.

Boston U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Graphic Design Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Boston University is $12,903 for bachelor’s degree graphic design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Graphic Design at Boston University

#20

Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City, North Carolina

Elizabeth City State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. This small school is located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s graphic design degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for ECSU is $1,217 for bachelor’s degree graphic design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Graphic Design at Elizabeth City State University

California State University - Sacramento ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - Sacramento is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 36 bachelors’s graphic design degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Sac State is $6,819 for Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full California State University - Sacramento Graphic Design Report

#22

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#16 in overall quality

San Jose State University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in San Jose, California, this large public school handed out 21 degrees to qualified bachelors’s graphic design students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree graphic design students whose families make $0-$30k list, San Jose State has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Graphic Design Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for San Jose State is $10,940 for bachelor’s degree graphic design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Graphic Design at San Jose State University

University of Nevada - Las Vegas did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #23. Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, this large public school handed out 39 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s graphic design students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,378 for Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Nevada - Las Vegas.

Full UNLV Graphic Design Report

#24

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa
Top 20% in overall quality

With a ranking of #24, University of Northern Iowa did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s graphic design degrees in 2019-2020.

UNI excels when it comes to graphic design quality. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for University of Northern Iowa is $10,757 for Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full UNI Graphic Design Report

Top 20% in overall quality

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Cal Poly Pomona is a large school located in Pomona, California that handed out 89 bachelors’s graphic design degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Cal Poly Pomona also did well on our “Best Graphic Design Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $8,596 for Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Graphic Design Report

Rest of the Best 33 in Best Value Graphic Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k

Not only did these schools make the top 33 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#27

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota
#28

SUNY New Paltz

New Paltz, New York
#29

University of Houston

Houston, Texas
#31

Louisiana Tech University

Ruston, Louisiana
#32

Montclair State University

Montclair, New Jersey
#33

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Featured Performing Arts Schools

Find Schools Near You