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2023 Best Value Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina

12 Ranked Colleges
2,174 Degrees Awarded
$11,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Design Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Design Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Design & Applied Arts is the 36th most popular major in the country with 36,301 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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.

Across North Carolina, there were 2,174 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,342 and $22,204 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Design Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 12 colleges that offer 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.

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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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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 Design Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Design Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Design Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 12 Best Value Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina

1
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Design Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Appalachian State University landed the #1 spot on the list. Appalachian State University is located in Boone, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 167 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

Appalachian State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in North Carolina” list. The estimated yearly cost for Appalachian State University is $7,354 for north carolina design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Appalachian State Design & Applied Arts Report

2
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend North Carolina State University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Design Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 82 degrees to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

NC State also took the #2 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in North Carolina” ranking. It costs about $7,283 for North Carolina Design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend NC State.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full North Carolina State University Design & Applied Arts Report

3
Central Piedmont Community College crest
Central Piedmont Community College
Charlotte, North Carolina

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Design Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Central Piedmont Community College landed the #3 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and it awarded 180 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our north carolina design students whose families make $0-$30k list, Central Piedmont Community College has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in North Carolina” ranking. It costs about $5,676 for north carolina design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Central Piedmont Community College.

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

4
Wake Technical Community College crest
Wake Technical Community College
Raleigh, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Wake Technical Community College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Design Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k. Wake Technical Community College is a public institution located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 757 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Wake Technical Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in North Carolina” list. The estimated yearly cost for Wake Technical Community College is $3,886 for north carolina design students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

5

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Design Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina at Greensboro landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, this fairly large public school awarded 42 diplomas to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

UNC Greensboro also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in North Carolina” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Carolina at Greensboro is $7,645 for north carolina design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at UNC Greensboro

6
Guilford Technical Community College crest
Guilford Technical Community College
Jamestown, North Carolina

Guilford Technical Community College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. Guilford Technical Community College is a public institution located in Jamestown, North Carolina. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 52 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Guilford Technical Community College also took the #9 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Guilford Technical Community College is $10,003 for north carolina design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Guilford Technical Community College

7
ECU crest
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

East Carolina University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Greenville, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s design degrees to 24 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our north carolina design students whose families make $0-$30k list, ECU has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in North Carolina” ranking. It costs about $11,260 for north carolina design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend ECU.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at ECU

8
WCU crest
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, North Carolina

Western Carolina University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Western Carolina University is located in Cullowhee, North Carolina and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WCU, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for WCU is $9,305 for North Carolina Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at WCU

9
NC A&T crest
North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro, North Carolina

North Carolina A & T State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. NC A&T is a fairly large public school situated in Greensboro, North Carolina. It awarded 17 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our north carolina design students whose families make $0-$30k list, NC A&T has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Carolina A & T State University is $7,827 for North Carolina Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at NC A&T

10
Meredith crest
Meredith College
Raleigh, North Carolina

Meredith College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Meredith College is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 30 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our north carolina design students whose families make $0-$30k list, Meredith has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Meredith College is $19,426 for north carolina design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Meredith

11
WPU crest
William Peace University
Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #11, William Peace University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. WPU is a small school located in Raleigh, North Carolina that handed out 23 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

WPU also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in North Carolina” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for WPU is $21,506 for north carolina design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at William Peace University

12
High Point crest
High Point University
High Point, North Carolina

With a ranking of #12, High Point University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in High Point, North Carolina, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 46 diplomas to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our north carolina design students whose families make $0-$30k list, High Point has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend High Point University is $31,257 for north carolina design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad 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 High Point University Design & Applied Arts Report

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Notes and References

References

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Footnotes

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