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2022 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $30-$48k)

165 Ranked Colleges
8,339 Degrees Awarded
$5,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 36,854 people earned their degree in design and applied arts, making the major the 34th most popular in the United States. 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.

For this year’s “Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 165 colleges that offer a degree in design and applied arts. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality design and applied arts programs that also have a lower cost than 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Design & Applied Arts Schools

The design school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. 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 for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for associate degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $30-$48k)

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Chattahoochee Technical College. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k. Marietta, Georgia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design degrees to 45 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Chattahoochee Technical College is $1,238 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Metropolitan Community College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k. Metropolitan Community College is located in Omaha, Nebraska and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 54 associates’s design degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on this list, MCC 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 $2,963 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Metropolitan Community College.

Full MCC Design & Applied Arts Report

#3

Nassau Community College

Garden City, New York

Out of the 165 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Nassau Community College landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Garden City, New York, this fairly large public school handed out 46 degrees to qualified associates’s design students in 2019-2020.

Nassau Community College also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” list, coming in at #21. The yearly cost to attend Nassau Community College is $3,837 for associate degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Nassau Community College Design & Applied Arts Report

#4

Wake Technical Community College

Raleigh, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wake Technical Community College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Raleigh, North Carolina, and it awarded 95 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wake Technical Community College, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wake Technical Community College is $5,307 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

Out of the 165 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k 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 located in McKinney, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 77 associates’s design degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Collin County Community College District, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Collin County Community College District is $5,536 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

#6

Oakland Community College

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Oakland Community College landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Bloomfield Hills, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $1,614 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Oakland Community College.

Full Oakland Community College Design & Applied Arts Report

#7

Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, New York

Fashion Institute of Technology landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 838 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our associate degree design students whose families make $30-$48k list, FIT SUNY has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend FIT SUNY is $9,399 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. 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 more about Design & Applied Arts at FIT SUNY

Austin Community College District did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. 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.

In addition to being on our associate degree design students whose families make $30-$48k list, Austin Community College District has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Austin Community College District is $4,362 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

#9

Madison Area Technical College

Madison, Wisconsin

Madison Area Technical College landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. 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 $30-$48k list, Madison College has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Madison Area Technical College is $8,584 for associate degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Madison College Design & Applied Arts Report

Sinclair Community College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Dayton, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design degrees to 67 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Sinclair Community College is $3,113 for associate degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Sinclair Community College

#11

County College of Morris

Randolph, New Jersey

County College of Morris did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. Randolph, New Jersey is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at County College of Morris, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $7,173 for associate degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend County College of Morris.

Full County College of Morris Design & Applied Arts Report

#12

Elgin Community College

Elgin, Illinois

Elgin Community College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Elgin Community College is a public institution located in Elgin, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 11 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Elgin Community College is $3,717 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Elgin Community College

#13

Central Piedmont Community College

Charlotte, North Carolina

With a ranking of #13, Central Piedmont Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Charlotte, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design degrees to 53 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Central Piedmont Community College, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Central Piedmont Community College is $6,336 for associate degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Central Piedmont Community College

#14

Santa Rosa Junior College

Santa Rosa, California
#23 in overall quality

Santa Rosa Junior College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Santa Rosa Junior College is a fairly large school located in Santa Rosa, California that handed out 19 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

SRJC also took the #23 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SRJC is $4,975 for associate degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Santa Rosa Junior College

#15

Salt Lake Community College

Salt Lake City, Utah

Salt Lake Community College landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k 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.

Salt Lake Community College 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. The yearly cost to attend Salt Lake Community College is $6,329 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Salt Lake Community College Design & Applied Arts Report

#16

Mt. San Antonio College

Walnut, California

Mt. San Antonio College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Mt. San Antonio College is located in Walnut, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 associates’s design degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $1,599 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Mt. SAC.

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

New York City College of Technology ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. New York City College of Technology is a fairly large public school situated in Brooklyn, New York. It awarded 60 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $4,390 for associate degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend New York City College of Technology.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at City Tech

Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. OSU Institute of Technology is a small public school situated in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. It awarded 13 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $4,299 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend OSU Institute of Technology.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology

Suffolk County Community College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Suffolk County Community College is a large public school situated in Selden, New York. It awarded 35 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $4,371 for associate degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Suffolk County Community College.

Full Suffolk County Community College Design & Applied Arts Report

Cuyahoga Community College District came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Cuyahoga Community College District is a public institution located in Cleveland, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 52 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Cuyahoga Community College District is $4,996 for associate degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

#21

Waukesha County Technical College

Pewaukee, Wisconsin

Waukesha County Technical College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Pewaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design degrees to 28 students in 2019-2020.

WCTC excels when it comes to design quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. It costs about $8,190 for associate degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Waukesha County Technical College.

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

Northern Virginia Community College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Northern Virginia Community College is a large school located in Annandale, Virginia that handed out 61 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Northern Virginia Community College also took the #13 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northern Virginia Community College is $8,818 for associate degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

#23

Henry Ford College

Dearborn, Michigan

Henry Ford College landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Dearborn, Michigan 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.

The yearly cost to attend Henry Ford College is $3,039 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

#24

Arapahoe Community College

Littleton, Colorado

Arapahoe Community College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Littleton, Colorado, and it awarded 47 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Arapahoe Community College also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for Arapahoe Community College is $7,244 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

#25

Monroe Community College

Rochester, New York

Monroe Community College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Rochester, New York, and it awarded 64 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Monroe Community College is $6,492 for Associate Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Monroe 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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