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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $30-$48k) in Massachusetts

16 Ranked Colleges
678 Degrees Awarded
$21,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor's in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k” 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.

Across Massachusetts, there were 920 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,353 and $27,205 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 678 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,887 and $24,387 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 16 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.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the design and applied arts program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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 a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k” 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 a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k

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

Top 16 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $30-$48k) in Massachusetts

#1

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northeastern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k. This large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 49 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k list, Northeastern has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern is $12,823 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Northeastern University

#2

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Boston University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 27 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Boston U, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Boston University is $13,256 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s 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 92%. The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Boston U

#7 in overall quality

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Massachusetts - Lowell landed the #3 spot on the list. UMass Lowell is a fairly large public school situated in Lowell, Massachusetts. It awarded 26 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

UMass Lowell also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend UMass Lowell is $12,330 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%.

Full UMass Lowell Design & Applied Arts Report

#4

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

North Dartmouth, Massachusetts

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, this medium-sized public school awarded 42 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

UMass Dartmouth did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $15,219 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UMass Dartmouth.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at UMass Dartmouth

#5

Salem State University

Salem, Massachusetts
#12 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Salem State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k. Salem, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Salem State, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Salem State is $16,416 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Salem State Design & Applied Arts Report

Massachusetts College of Art and Design came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 154 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Massachusetts College of Art and Design also took the #6 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Massachusetts College of Art and Design is $19,926 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

Full Massachusetts College of Art and Design Design & Applied Arts Report

#7

Stonehill College

Easton, Massachusetts

Stonehill College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. This small school is located in Easton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Stonehill not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $24,386 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Stonehill.

The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Stonehill College

#8

Framingham State University

Framingham, Massachusetts
#14 in overall quality

Framingham State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. Framingham State is located in Framingham, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Framingham State, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Framingham State is $16,490 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Framingham State University

#9

Endicott College

Beverly, Massachusetts

Endicott College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Beverly, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 35 students in 2019-2020.

Endicott not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Endicott is $25,921 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Endicott

#10

Lasell University

Newton, Massachusetts

Lasell University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Lasell University is located in Newton, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 36 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k list, Lasell has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lasell is $22,786 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Lasell University

#11

Emmanuel College Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #11, Emmanuel College Massachusetts did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Emmanuel College Massachusetts is a small school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 10 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Emmanuel Boston also took the #8 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $25,505 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Emmanuel College Massachusetts.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Emmanuel Boston

#12

Wentworth Institute of Technology

Boston, Massachusetts

Wentworth Institute of Technology ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 59 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

WIT also took the #3 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $33,202 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Wentworth Institute of Technology.

The low student loan default rate of 3.0% 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 WIT

#13

Suffolk University

Boston, Massachusetts

Suffolk University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Suffolk did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Suffolk is $28,938 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 full report on Design & Applied Arts at Suffolk University

#14

Curry College

Milton, Massachusetts

Curry College landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Curry is a small school located in Milton, Massachusetts that handed out 7 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Curry also took the #15 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $24,483 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Curry College.

Full Curry College Design & Applied Arts Report

#15

Lesley University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Lesley University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 67 students in 2019-2020.

Lesley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Lesley University is $30,430 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The 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 Lesley Design & Applied Arts Report

#16

Montserrat College of Art

Beverly, Massachusetts

Montserrat College of Art came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Beverly, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 16 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

Montserrat College of Art not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $26,644 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Montserrat College of Art.

Full Montserrat College of Art Design & Applied Arts Report

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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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