2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $75-$110k) in California
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking.
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.
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 $75-$110k” ranking, we looked at 34 colleges that offer a degree in design and applied arts. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great design and applied arts programs and 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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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 $75-$110k” list to help you make the college decision.
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Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k
The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $75-$110k.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $75-$110k) in California
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Long Beach. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school handed out 130 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.
CSULB also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $14,544 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend California State University - Long Beach.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Out of the 34 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Davis landed the #2 spot on the list. 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 did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Davis is $17,622 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $75-$110k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Fresno. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Fresno, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 52 students in 2019-2020.
Fresno State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Fresno State is $11,819 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. UCLA is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 44 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.
UCLA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $19,590 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of California - Los Angeles.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend San Jose State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. San Jose State is a large school located in San Jose, California that handed out 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 $19,805 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $75-$110k.
The low student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
With a ranking of #6, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. California State University - Sacramento is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 62 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $75-$110k list, Sac State has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Sacramento is $15,812 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. This large school is located in Pomona, California, and it awarded 89 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.
Cal Poly Pomona also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Poly Pomona is $17,944 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $75-$110k.
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 low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona
San Francisco State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. San Francisco State University is a large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 150 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SFSU, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SFSU is $21,027 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $75-$110k.
University of California - San Diego landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.
UCSD also took the #12 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - San Diego is $20,205 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, 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 94%.
Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at University of California - San Diego
California State University - Chico landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Chico, California, this fairly large public school handed out 124 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $75-$110k list, Chico State has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Chico State is $19,444 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $75-$110k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at California State University - Chico
California State University - Monterey Bay did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #11. CSUMB is a medium-sized school located in Seaside, California that handed out 47 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $17,719 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend CSUMB.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. This fairly large school is located in Santa Cruz, California, and it awarded 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 $22,739 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $75-$110k.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
With a ranking of #13, University of Redlands did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Redlands, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $75-$110k list, University of Redlands has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Redlands is $27,920 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $75-$110k.
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%.
With a ranking of #14, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 33 students in 2019-2020.
USC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $30,858 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend USC.
The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, 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 91%.
Full University of Southern California Design & Applied Arts Report
University of the Pacific came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of the Pacific is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Stockton, California. It awarded 5 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.
Pacific not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $30,956 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Pacific.
The low student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
Azusa Pacific University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Azusa Pacific University 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 also took the #18 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $26,968 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Azusa Pacific University.
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. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
California College of the Arts landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This small school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 156 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.
California College of the Arts did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $36,018 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend California College of the Arts.
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 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at California College of the Arts
Biola University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Biola University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in La Mirada, California. It awarded 3 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $32,123 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Biola.
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%.
Point Loma Nazarene University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. PLNU is located in San Diego, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend Point Loma Nazarene University is $33,138 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $75-$110k.
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 Point Loma Nazarene University
Laguna College of Art and Design came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Laguna College of Art and Design is a small school located in Laguna Beach, California that handed out 75 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.
LCAD also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for LCAD is $40,899 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Woodbury University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Burbank, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 26 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $75-$110k list, Woodbury has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Woodbury is $25,556 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $75-$110k.
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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Woodbury University
Art Center College of Design ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Pasadena, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 223 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $75-$110k list, Art Center College of Design has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Art Center College of Design is $48,624 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full Art Center College of Design Design & Applied Arts Report
With a ranking of #23, Dominican University of California did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in San Rafael, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Dominican University of California is $32,803 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $75-$110k.
The low student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%. 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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Chapman University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Chapman is a medium-sized school located in Orange, California that handed out 27 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $75-$110k list, Chapman has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Chapman is $37,848 for california bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $75-$110k.
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 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of San Francisco did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #25. University of San Francisco is a fairly large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 39 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at USFCA, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of San Francisco is $38,753 for California Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $75-$110k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
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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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