by our College Data Analytics Team
[Industrial Design](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/industrial-design/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong industrial design education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for industrial design students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the industrial design degrees they offer, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked Western Governors University the best value for a degree in industrial design in Utah. Located in the suburb of Salt Lake City, Western Governors University is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,658. Typical student debt for industrial design graduates is $23,277. Early-career industrial design graduates make about $74,771. Set against $23,277 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Utah State University one of the best values for industrial design. Set in the city of Logan, Utah State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,560, with out-of-state students paying around $24,993. Typical student debt for industrial design graduates is $16,191. Early-career industrial design graduates make about $52,431. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 92%.
Students looking for strong value in industrial design will find it at Brigham Young University Provo, which ranked #3. Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Provo. In-state tuition and fees average $6,688. Students borrow a median of $13,000 to complete the industrial design program here. Soon after graduation, industrial design degree recipients from Brigham Young University Provo generally make around $33,915. Set against $13,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Brigham Young University Provo admits about 68% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Utah one of the best values for industrial design. Located in the city of Salt Lake City, University Of Utah is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,620, with out-of-state students paying around $30,860. Students borrow a median of $16,344 to complete the industrial design program here. Industrial Design graduates of University Of Utah earn a median of $60,527 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,344 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.