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2022 Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

22 Ranked Colleges
1,178 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” 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 Illinois, there were 1,178 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,274 and $37,640 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 22 colleges that offered 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 22 Best Value Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $48-$75k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Northwestern is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 3 ’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $6,452 for Illinois Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Northwestern University

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. UIUC is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 108 ’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also took the #2 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $13,351 for illinois design students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#3

Elgin Community College

Elgin, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Elgin Community College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Elgin Community College is a medium-sized school located in Elgin, Illinois that handed out 21 ’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

ECC also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #20. The yearly cost to attend ECC is $6,022 for illinois design students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Elgin Community College Design & Applied Arts Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Chicago. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Illinois at Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 83 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois design students whose families make $48-$75k list, UIC has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Chicago is $13,683 for illinois design students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at UIC

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Illinois Institute of Technology. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s design degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois design students whose families make $48-$75k list, Illinois Tech has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois Tech is $22,542 for Illinois Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, 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 2.9%, which is much lower than the national 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 more about Design & Applied Arts at Illinois Tech

#6

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Illinois State is a large public school situated in Normal, Illinois. It awarded 30 ’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois design students whose families make $48-$75k list, Illinois State has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $19,080 for illinois design students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Illinois State.

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 Illinois State University Design & Applied Arts Report

Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is located in Carbondale, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

SIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for SIUC is $14,985 for Illinois Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Southern Illinois University Carbondale Design & Applied Arts Report

#8

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois

Augustana College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Augustana is located in Rock Island, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

Augustana also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for Augustana is $21,453 for Illinois 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 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Augustana College

Northeastern Illinois University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Northeastern Illinois University is a medium-sized school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 6 ’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern Illinois University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern Illinois University is $18,180 for Illinois Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Northeastern Illinois University

#10

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #10. Olivet Nazarene is located in Bourbonnais, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

Olivet Nazarene did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $17,841 for Illinois Design students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Olivet Nazarene.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Olivet Nazarene University

#11

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois

Elmhurst University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Elmhurst University is located in Elmhurst, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

Elmhurst also took the #12 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Elmhurst University is $19,703 for Illinois 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%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Elmhurst University

#12

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois

Millikin University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. Millikin University is a small school located in Decatur, Illinois that handed out 6 ’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois design students whose families make $48-$75k list, Millikin has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Millikin University is $20,390 for illinois design students whose families make $48-$75k.

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.

Full Millikin University Design & Applied Arts Report

#13

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois

Dominican University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #13. Dominican U is a small school located in River Forest, Illinois that handed out 27 ’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dominican U, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Dominican University is $18,582 for illinois 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.

Full Dominican University Design & Applied Arts Report

#14

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois

Bradley University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. Bradley is a medium-sized school located in Peoria, Illinois that handed out 37 ’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Bradley also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend Bradley is $22,865 for Illinois Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%. 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 Bradley University

#15

North Central College

Naperville, Illinois

With a ranking of #15, North Central College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. North Central is located in Naperville, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

North Central also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend North Central College is $23,353 for illinois design students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at North Central College

Trinity International University - Illinois landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Deerfield, Illinois, and it awarded 8 ’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

TIU Illinois not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for TIU Illinois is $17,441 for Illinois Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

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.

Full Trinity International University - Illinois Design & Applied Arts Report

#17

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Columbia College Chicago landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Columbia College Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 272 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois design students whose families make $48-$75k list, Columbia has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Columbia College Chicago is $31,071 for illinois design students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Columbia College Chicago

#18

Roosevelt University

Chicago, Illinois

Roosevelt University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Roosevelt is a small school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 24 ’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Roosevelt also took the #22 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Roosevelt University is $21,870 for Illinois Design students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Roosevelt University

#19

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #19. DePaul University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 93 ’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at DePaul, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for DePaul is $28,075 for illinois design students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at DePaul

#20

American Academy of Art

Chicago, Illinois

American Academy of Art did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s design degrees to 27 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at The Academy, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $31,382 for illinois design students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend American Academy of Art.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at The Academy

#21

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Loyola University Chicago came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 12 ’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Loyola Chicago also took the #6 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Loyola University Chicago is $32,259 for illinois 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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Loyola University Chicago

With a ranking of #22, School of the Art Institute of Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 20 ’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois design students whose families make $48-$75k list, School of the Art Institute of Chicago has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend School of the Art Institute of Chicago is $41,809 for illinois design students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full School of the Art Institute of Chicago Design & Applied Arts Report

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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