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2023 Best Value Design Schools

396 Ranked Colleges
36,301 Degrees Awarded
$11,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Design Schools

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Design Schools” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 36,301 people earned their degree in design and applied arts, making the major the 36th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, design and applied arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,426 and had an average of $25,481 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Best Value Design Schools” ranking looked at 396 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in design and applied arts. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent design and applied arts programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the design and applied arts program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Design & Applied Arts Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Design Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Design Schools” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Design Schools

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Design Schools.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Design & Applied Arts

1

Out of the 396 schools in the Best Value Design Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Provo landed the #1 spot on the list. Brigham Young University - Provo is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Provo, Utah. It awarded 95 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our design students list, BYU has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Brigham Young University - Provo is $13,474 for Design students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%. 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 Design & Applied Arts at Brigham Young University - Provo

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Collin County Community College District. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Design Schools. McKinney, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s design degrees to 149 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Collin County Community College District is also in the top of our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Collin County Community College District is $7,040 for design students.

Full Collin County Community College District Design & Applied Arts Report

3

Out of the 396 schools in the Best Value Design Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, Metropolitan Community College landed the #3 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and it awarded 82 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend MCC is $4,315 for Design students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at MCC

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Madison Area Technical College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Design Schools. This fairly large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 94 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Madison College excels when it comes to design quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Madison Area Technical College is $10,053 for design students.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Madison College

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Alexandria Technical & Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Design Schools list. ATCC is a small school located in Alexandria, Minnesota that handed out 21 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend ATCC is $13,636 for Design students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at ATCC

6

University of Wisconsin - Stout did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools ranking, coming in at #6. UW - Stout is a medium-sized public school situated in Menomonie, Wisconsin. It awarded 135 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UW - Stout also did well on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $15,589 for Design students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Stout.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at UW - Stout

7
Century College crest
Century College
White Bear Lake, Minnesota

Century College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools ranking. Century College is a public institution located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 62 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $10,397 for Design students per year to attend Century College.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Century College

8
El Centro College crest
El Centro College
Dallas, Texas

El Centro College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools ranking. Located in Dallas, Texas, this large public school handed out 137 degrees to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend El Centro College is $4,739 for Design students.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at El Centro College

9

With a ranking of #9, Milwaukee Area Technical College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools list. Milwaukee Area Technical College is a fairly large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 29 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $8,721 for Design students per year to attend MATC.

Full Milwaukee Area Technical College Design & Applied Arts Report

10

Sinclair Community College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools ranking. Sinclair Community College is a fairly large school located in Dayton, Ohio that handed out 153 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $4,959 for Design students per year to attend Sinclair Community College.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Sinclair Community College

11

Johnson County Community College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools ranking. Johnson County Community College is a public institution located in Overland Park, Kansas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 91 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Johnson County Community College is $13,371 for design students.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at JCCC

12

With a ranking of #12, Austin Community College District did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools list. Austin Community College District is a large school located in Austin, Texas that handed out 81 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Austin Community College District is $7,224 for design students.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Austin Community College District

13
LDS Business College crest
LDS Business College
Salt Lake City, Utah

LDS Business College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools ranking. LDS Business College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Salt Lake City, Utah. The school has a small population, and it awarded 35 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend LDS Business College is $7,971 for design students.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at LDS Business College

14

With a ranking of #14, Iowa State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools list. Located in Ames, Iowa, this large public school handed out 252 degrees to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

Iowa State also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State is $16,002 for design students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 more about Design & Applied Arts at Iowa State

15
Western Technical College crest
Western Technical College
La Crosse, Wisconsin

Western Technical College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools ranking. La Crosse, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s design degrees to 28 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Western Technical College is $10,279 for Design students.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Western Technical College

16
Ferris crest
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, Michigan

Ferris State University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools ranking. Ferris is a fairly large school located in Big Rapids, Michigan that handed out 112 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Ferris State University is $12,213 for design students.

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

17
Central Piedmont Community College crest
Central Piedmont Community College
Charlotte, North Carolina

With a ranking of #17, Central Piedmont Community College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools list. Central Piedmont Community College is a fairly large school located in Charlotte, North Carolina that handed out 180 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Central Piedmont Community College is $5,710 for design students.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Central Piedmont Community College

18
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools ranking, coming in at #18. This fairly large school is located in Brookings, South Dakota, and it awarded 48 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State is $18,578 for Design students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full South Dakota State Design & Applied Arts Report

19
Scottsdale Community College crest
Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale, Arizona

Scottsdale Community College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools ranking, coming in at #19. This medium-sized school is located in Scottsdale, Arizona, and it awarded 54 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Scottsdale Community College is $11,088 for Design students.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Scottsdale Community College

20
Gateway Technical College crest
Gateway Technical College
Kenosha, Wisconsin

Gateway Technical College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools ranking, coming in at #20. This medium-sized school is located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and it awarded 54 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Gateway Technical College is $8,487 for Design students.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Gateway Technical College

21
Ivy Tech Community College crest
Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis, Indiana

Ivy Tech Community College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools list. This large school is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and it awarded 190 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Ivy Tech Community College is $7,669 for Design students.

Full Ivy Tech Community College Design & Applied Arts Report

22
Bellevue University crest
Bellevue University
Bellevue, Nebraska

Bellevue University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools list. Bellevue University is located in Bellevue, Nebraska and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 54 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Bellevue University is $17,288 for Design students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Bellevue University Design & Applied Arts Report

23
Macomb Community College crest
Macomb Community College
Warren, Michigan

Macomb Community College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools ranking. Macomb Community College is a public institution located in Warren, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 73 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,982 for Design students per year to attend Macomb Community College.

Full Macomb Community College Design & Applied Arts Report

24

Waukesha County Technical College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools ranking, coming in at #24. WCTC is a medium-sized public school situated in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. It awarded 37 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Waukesha County Technical College is $9,749 for design students.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Waukesha County Technical College

25
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia

Liberty University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools list. Lynchburg, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s design degrees to 236 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Liberty University is $29,382 for design students.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Liberty University

Rest of the Best 51 in Best Value Design Schools

Not only did these schools make the top 51 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
Bemidji State University crest
Bemidji State University
Bemidji, Minnesota
27
27
Central Michigan crest
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan
29
GTC crest
Gwinnett Technical College
Lawrenceville, Georgia
30
31
32
33
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina
34
35
Saint Louis Community College crest
Saint Louis Community College
Saint Louis, Missouri
36
37
38
BSC crest
Bismarck State College
Bismarck, North Dakota
39
40
Lindenwood University crest
Lindenwood University
Saint Charles, Missouri
41
Wake Technical Community College crest
Wake Technical Community College
Raleigh, North Carolina
42
43
Salt Lake Community College crest
Salt Lake Community College
Salt Lake City, Utah
44
45
45
WMU crest
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan
47
48
49
LCCC crest
Lehigh Carbon Community College
Schnecksville, Pennsylvania
50
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California
50
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Design Schools

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
52Arapahoe Community CollegeLittleton, CO
53Harding UniversitySearcy, AR
54Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaff, AZ
55Kutztown University of PennsylvaniaKutztown, PA
56University of Minnesota - DuluthDuluth, MN
57Florida State UniversityTallahassee, FL
58Arizona State University - SkysongScottsdale, AZ
59College of Southern NevadaLas Vegas, NV
60Harrisburg Area Community CollegeHarrisburg, PA

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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