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

48 Ranked Colleges
1,383 Degrees Awarded
$12,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

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 for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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 the Plains States region, there were 2,352 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,931 and $22,419 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,383 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 48 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.

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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important 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 for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

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

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

#1

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Washington University in St Louis. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 53 students in 2019-2020.

WUSTL not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $6,248 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Washington University in St Louis.

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 94%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at WUSTL

#2

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Out of the 48 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 132 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities also took the #3 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Twin Cities is $8,418 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full UMN Twin Cities Design & Applied Arts Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Ames, Iowa, this large public school awarded 227 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

Iowa State also took the #2 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $10,843 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Iowa State.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%.

Full Iowa State Design & Applied Arts Report

Out of the 48 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #4 spot on the list. UMN Duluth is a fairly large school located in Duluth, Minnesota that handed out 50 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Duluth did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $7,992 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 UMN Duluth Design & Applied Arts Report

#5

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota
#15 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Saint Cloud State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Saint Cloud State University is a fairly large public school situated in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. It awarded 21 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at St. Cloud State University, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Saint Cloud State University is $11,274 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at St. Cloud State University

North Dakota State University - Main Campus came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Fargo, North Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.

North Dakota State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $12,544 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

Full North Dakota State University - Main Campus Design & Applied Arts Report

#6 in overall quality

University of Nebraska - Lincoln came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UNL is a public institution located in Lincoln, Nebraska. The school has a large population, and it awarded 31 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNL has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,508 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UNL.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 4.2% 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%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at UNL

#8

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

University of Northern Iowa came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Cedar Falls, Iowa is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 36 students in 2019-2020.

UNI also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for University of Northern Iowa is $12,495 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, 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 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at UNI

#9

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, Minnesota

With a ranking of #9, Bemidji State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Bemidji, Minnesota, this small public school handed out 18 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

Bemidji State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $11,658 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Bemidji State University.

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

Northwest Missouri State University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Maryville, Missouri, this medium-sized public school awarded 13 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,863 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Northwest.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Northwest

#11

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota

With a ranking of #11, University of North Dakota did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UND is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

UND not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UND is $11,916 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 UND

#12

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Kansas State University is located in Manhattan, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 24 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

K -State also took the #10 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for K -State is $15,089 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full K -State Design & Applied Arts Report

#13

University of Central Missouri

Warrensburg, Missouri

University of Central Missouri came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Central Missouri is a public institution located in Warrensburg, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 39 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UCM also took the #25 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Central Missouri is $12,022 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at University of Central Missouri

Minnesota State University - Moorhead did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. MSU Moorhead is a medium-sized school located in Moorhead, Minnesota that handed out 26 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at MSU Moorhead, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend MSU Moorhead is $12,279 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Minnesota State University - Moorhead

#15

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, Missouri
#22 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Lindenwood University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Saint Charles, Missouri, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 8 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

Lindenwood University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $13,918 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Lindenwood University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Lindenwood University Design & Applied Arts Report

#16

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Brookings, South Dakota, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k list, South Dakota State has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend South Dakota State University is $16,273 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full South Dakota State University Design & Applied Arts Report

Missouri State University - Springfield came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Missouri State University - Springfield is located in Springfield, Missouri and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 34 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

Missouri State also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #23. It costs about $13,488 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Missouri State University - Springfield.

Full Missouri State University - Springfield Design & Applied Arts Report

#18

Northern State University

Aberdeen, South Dakota
#24 in overall quality

Northern State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. NSU is a small school located in Aberdeen, South Dakota that handed out 3 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

NSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Northern State University is $12,861 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

#19

Wichita State University

Wichita, Kansas

Wichita State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. WSU is a fairly large school located in Wichita, Kansas that handed out 21 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Wichita State University is $12,543 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at WSU

#20

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Kansas is located in Lawrence, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 78 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

KU also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend KU is $15,380 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 KU Design & Applied Arts Report

#21

Pittsburg State University

Pittsburg, Kansas

Pittsburg State University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Pittsburg, Kansas, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Pitt State is $11,973 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

#22

Concordia University, Saint Paul

Saint Paul, Minnesota

With a ranking of #22, Concordia University, Saint Paul did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Concordia University, Saint Paul is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 9 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Concordia University, Saint Paul is $13,288 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Concordia University, Saint Paul Design & Applied Arts Report

#23

Wayne State College

Wayne, Nebraska

Wayne State College landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. WSC is a small school located in Wayne, Nebraska that handed out 5 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Wayne State College is $11,534 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Wayne State College

#24

Missouri Western State University

Saint Joseph, Missouri

Missouri Western State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Missouri Western is a public institution located in Saint Joseph, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Missouri Western is $9,096 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Missouri Western

#25

Drury University

Springfield, Missouri

Drury University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Springfield, Missouri is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $16,294 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Drury University.

Full Drury University 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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