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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $48-$75k) in California

35 Ranked Colleges
2,305 Degrees Awarded
$32,169 Avg Salary
Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $48-$75k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 California For Those Making $48-$75k” 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 California, there were 4,692 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,196 and $27,472 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,305 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 35 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.

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

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 for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” 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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $48-$75k) in California

#1

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

Out of the 35 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCLA, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCLA is $13,081 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at University of California - Los Angeles

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Long Beach. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Long Beach, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 130 students in 2019-2020.

CSULB also took the #7 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CSULB is $10,807 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at CSULB

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Davis. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. UC Davis is a public institution located in Davis, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 235 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Davis also took the #3 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $13,578 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of California - Davis.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, 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 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at UC Davis

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fresno. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. Fresno State is a large public school situated in Fresno, California. It awarded 52 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Fresno State also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for Fresno State is $7,549 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Fresno State

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Sacramento. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. Sac State is located in Sacramento, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 62 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

Sac State also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Sacramento is $11,413 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.6% 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%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Sac State

#6

San Jose State University

San Jose, California

San Jose State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #6. This large school is located in San Jose, California, and it awarded 153 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

San Jose State also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend San Jose State is $16,397 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full San Jose State University Design & Applied Arts Report

#12 in overall quality

University of California - San Diego ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of California - San Diego is a large public school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 24 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,071 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UCSD.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 UCSD Design & Applied Arts Report

#8

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. San Francisco State University is a large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 150 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

SFSU also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend San Francisco State University is $16,661 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full San Francisco State University Design & Applied Arts Report

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Pomona, California, and it awarded 89 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $48-$75k list, Cal Poly Pomona has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal Poly Pomona is $14,012 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, 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 87%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Cal Poly Pomona

#10

University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California
#15 in overall quality

University of California - Santa Cruz came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UC Santa Cruz is a fairly large school located in Santa Cruz, California that handed out 78 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Santa Cruz also took the #15 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Santa Cruz is $15,253 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at University of California - Santa Cruz

#11

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. University of Southern California is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 33 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

USC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Southern California is $20,050 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at University of Southern California

California State University - Chico did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. Chico, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 124 students in 2019-2020.

Chico State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Chico State is $16,116 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at California State University - Chico

California State University - Monterey Bay ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. CSUMB is a medium-sized public school situated in Seaside, California. It awarded 47 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,311 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend CSUMB.

The low student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 California State University - Monterey Bay

#14

University of Redlands

Redlands, California
#17 in overall quality

University of Redlands did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Redlands, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 18 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

University of Redlands not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Redlands is $24,866 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at University of Redlands

#15

University of the Pacific

Stockton, California
#24 in overall quality

University of the Pacific ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Pacific is located in Stockton, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

Pacific also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #24. It costs about $26,047 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Pacific.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of the Pacific Design & Applied Arts Report

#16

Point Loma Nazarene University

San Diego, California

Point Loma Nazarene University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend PLNU is $28,716 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at PLNU

#17

Azusa Pacific University

Azusa, California
#18 in overall quality

Azusa Pacific University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Azusa Pacific is located in Azusa, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

Azusa Pacific not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $23,455 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Azusa Pacific University.

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%. 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 Azusa Pacific University

#18

California College of the Arts

San Francisco, California

California College of the Arts did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #18. California College of the Arts is a small school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 156 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

California College of the Arts also took the #9 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California College of the Arts is $28,699 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at California College of the Arts

#19

Cogswell College

San Jose, California

Cogswell College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #19. Cogswell is a small school located in San Jose, California that handed out 20 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $32,150 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Cogswell.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Cogswell

#20

Woodbury University

Burbank, California

Woodbury University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Woodbury is a small school located in Burbank, California that handed out 26 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Woodbury, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Woodbury University is $22,616 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Woodbury University

#21

Dominican University of California

San Rafael, California

Dominican University of California ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. DUofC is located in San Rafael, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Dominican University of California is $29,801 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full DUofC Design & Applied Arts Report

#22

Art Center College of Design

Pasadena, California

Art Center College of Design came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Pasadena, California, and it awarded 223 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Art Center College of Design, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Art Center College of Design is $42,445 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Art Center College of Design

#23

Biola University

La Mirada, California

With a ranking of #23, Biola University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in La Mirada, California, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Biola University is $29,212 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%.

Full Biola University Design & Applied Arts Report

#24

Chapman University

Orange, California

With a ranking of #24, Chapman University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in Orange, California, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $48-$75k list, Chapman has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $36,041 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Chapman.

The low student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Chapman

#25

Otis College of Art and Design

Los Angeles, California

Otis College of Art and Design did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #25. Otis College of Art and Design is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 87 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Otis College of Art and Design, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Otis College of Art and Design is $43,856 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Otis College of Art and Design

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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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