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2022 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $0-$30k)

166 Ranked Colleges
8,339 Degrees Awarded
$3,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Design & Applied Arts is the 34th most popular major in the country with 36,854 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, design and applied arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $29,542 and had an average of $27,114 in loans still to pay off.

At the associate degree level specifically, there were 8,339 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,082 and $17,678 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 166 colleges that offered a degree 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.

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 design and applied arts program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for associate degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $0-$30k)

#1

Nassau Community College

Garden City, New York

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Nassau Community College. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k list. Nassau Community College is a fairly large school located in Garden City, New York that handed out 46 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Nassau Community College, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Nassau Community College is $2,007 for associate degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Nassau Community College

#2

Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Fashion Institute of Technology. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k. This medium-sized school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 838 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

FIT SUNY did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Fashion Institute of Technology is $7,123 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, 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 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Fashion Institute of Technology Design & Applied Arts Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Chattahoochee Technical College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k list. Chattahoochee Technical College is located in Marietta, Georgia and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 45 associates’s design degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Chattahoochee Technical College is $384 for associate degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Chattahoochee Technical College

Out of the 166 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Austin Community College District landed the #4 spot on the list. Austin Community College District is located in Austin, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 55 associates’s design degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Austin Community College District, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Austin Community College District is $3,134 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

Out of the 166 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Collin County Community College District landed the #5 spot on the list. Collin County Community College District is a public institution located in McKinney, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 77 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Collin County Community College District also took the #8 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Collin County Community College District is $4,565 for associate degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Collin County Community College District

#6

Oakland Community College

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

With a ranking of #6, Oakland Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k list. Oakland Community College is a fairly large school located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan that handed out 30 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $-51 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Oakland Community College. The negative number means the student will receive more financial aid on average than it costs to attend the school.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Oakland Community College

#7

Wake Technical Community College

Raleigh, North Carolina

Wake Technical Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. Raleigh, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design degrees to 95 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our associate degree design students whose families make $0-$30k list, Wake Technical Community College has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wake Technical Community College is $4,607 for associate degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Wake Technical Community College

Metropolitan Community College landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. MCC is a public institution located in Omaha, Nebraska. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 54 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

MCC also claimed a top spot on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $2,894 for associate degree design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend MCC.

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

#9

Madison Area Technical College

Madison, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #9, Madison Area Technical College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 102 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our associate degree design students whose families make $0-$30k list, Madison College has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Madison College is $7,258 for associate degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Madison College Design & Applied Arts Report

New York City College of Technology landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Brooklyn, New York, and it awarded 60 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend City Tech is $2,456 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at City Tech

With a ranking of #11, Sinclair Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k list. Sinclair Community College is a fairly large school located in Dayton, Ohio that handed out 67 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $2,567 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Sinclair Community College.

Full Sinclair Community College Design & Applied Arts Report

#12

Elgin Community College

Elgin, Illinois

Elgin Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. Elgin, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $2,384 for associate degree design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend ECC.

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

Suffolk County Community College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Selden, New York, this large public school awarded 35 degrees to qualified associates’s design students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Suffolk County Community College is $2,632 for associate degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Suffolk County Community College Design & Applied Arts Report

#14

County College of Morris

Randolph, New Jersey

County College of Morris ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k list. County College of Morris is a medium-sized school located in Randolph, New Jersey that handed out 30 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

County College of Morris also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend County College of Morris is $6,186 for associate degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at County College of Morris

#15

Salt Lake Community College

Salt Lake City, Utah

Salt Lake Community College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Salt Lake Community College is a large school located in Salt Lake City, Utah that handed out 81 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, Salt Lake Community College is in the top on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $5,786 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Salt Lake Community College.

Full Salt Lake Community College Design & Applied Arts Report

#16

Mt. San Antonio College

Walnut, California

Mt. San Antonio College landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Walnut, California, and it awarded 23 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Mt. SAC is $898 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Mt. San Antonio College

#17

Santa Rosa Junior College

Santa Rosa, California
#23 in overall quality

Santa Rosa Junior College landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Santa Rosa, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design degrees to 19 students in 2019-2020.

SRJC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend SRJC is $5,026 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at SRJC

#18

Central Piedmont Community College

Charlotte, North Carolina

Central Piedmont Community College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Central Piedmont Community College is located in Charlotte, North Carolina and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 53 associates’s design degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our associate degree design students whose families make $0-$30k list, Central Piedmont Community College has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Central Piedmont Community College is $5,937 for associate degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

#19

Monroe Community College

Rochester, New York

Monroe Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. Monroe Community College is a fairly large school located in Rochester, New York that handed out 64 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Monroe Community College is $4,716 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

Cuyahoga Community College District landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cleveland, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design degrees to 52 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Cuyahoga Community College District is $3,635 for associate degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

#21

Washtenaw Community College

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Washtenaw Community College landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Washtenaw Community College is a fairly large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 22 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Washtenaw Community College is $266 for associate degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Washtenaw Community College

#22

Kalamazoo Valley Community College

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Kalamazoo Valley Community College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, this medium-sized public school handed out 20 degrees to qualified associates’s design students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $3,185 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

Full Kalamazoo Valley Community College Design & Applied Arts Report

With a ranking of #23, Northern Virginia Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Annandale, Virginia, this large public school awarded 61 degrees to qualified associates’s design students in 2019-2020.

Northern Virginia Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Northern Virginia Community College is $8,175 for associate degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Northern Virginia Community College

#24

Henry Ford College

Dearborn, Michigan

Henry Ford College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k list. Henry Ford College is a fairly large school located in Dearborn, Michigan that handed out 19 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $2,460 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Henry Ford College.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Henry Ford College

#25

Arapahoe Community College

Littleton, Colorado

Arapahoe Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. This fairly large school is located in Littleton, Colorado, and it awarded 47 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Arapahoe Community College also took the #16 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Arapahoe Community College is $6,366 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

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.

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