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2023 Best Value Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region

33 Ranked Colleges
2,327 Degrees Awarded
$17,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 36,301 people earned their degree in design and applied arts, making the major the 36th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, design and applied arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,426 and had an average of $25,481 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 2,327 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,239 and $24,704 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, we looked at 33 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the design and applied arts program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Design & Applied Arts Schools

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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 the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region design students whose families make $75-$110k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Metropolitan Community College. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k. MCC is located in Omaha, Nebraska and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 82 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at MCC, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for MCC is $7,775 for Plains States Region Design students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Metropolitan Community College

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Iowa State University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. This large school is located in Ames, Iowa, and it awarded 252 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State is $17,806 for Plains States Region Design students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

3

Out of the 33 schools in the Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this large public school awarded 130 degrees to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UMN Twin Cities is $18,938 for Plains States Region 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at UMN Twin Cities

4
Century College crest
Century College
White Bear Lake, Minnesota

Out of the 33 schools in the Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Century College landed the #4 spot on the list. Century College is a public institution located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 62 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Century College also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #19. The yearly cost to attend Century College is $13,340 for plains states region design students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full Century College Design & Applied Arts Report

5
Saint Louis Community College crest
Saint Louis Community College
Saint Louis, Missouri

Out of the 33 schools in the Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Saint Louis Community College landed the #5 spot on the list. Saint Louis Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 52 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Saint Louis Community College is $9,805 for Plains States Region Design students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Saint Louis Community College

6

University of Northern Iowa did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #6. UNI is a public institution located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 50 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UNI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UNI is $18,318 for plains states region design students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%.

Full UNI Design & Applied Arts Report

7

Des Moines Area Community College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Ankeny, Iowa, this large public school handed out 87 degrees to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Des Moines Area Community College is $11,632 for Plains States Region Design students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at DMACC

8
BSC crest
Bismarck State College
Bismarck, North Dakota

Bismarck State College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #8. Bismarck State College is a small school located in Bismarck, North Dakota that handed out 12 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $11,564 for Plains States Region Design students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Bismarck State College.

Full BSC Design & Applied Arts Report

9

Johnson County Community College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #9. JCCC is a public institution located in Overland Park, Kansas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 91 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region design students whose families make $75-$110k list, JCCC has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $16,639 for Plains States Region Design students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend JCCC.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Johnson County Community College

10

Washington University in St Louis came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 74 diplomas to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

WUSTL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Washington University in St Louis is $23,508 for plains states region design students whose families make $75-$110k.

The impressive undergraduate 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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Washington University in St Louis

11

Alexandria Technical & Community College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Alexandria, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s design degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.

ATCC also took the #21 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $15,709 for Plains States Region Design students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend ATCC.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Alexandria Technical & Community College Design & Applied Arts Report

12
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #12. University of Kansas is a large public school situated in Lawrence, Kansas. It awarded 72 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

KU also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $22,804 for Plains States Region Design students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Kansas.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at University of Kansas

13

North Dakota State University - Main Campus came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Fargo, North Dakota, this fairly large public school awarded 12 degrees to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

North Dakota State University also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University is $17,909 for plains states region design students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at North Dakota State University

14
UCM crest
University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, Missouri

University of Central Missouri did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #14. UCM is located in Warrensburg, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 37 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region design students whose families make $75-$110k list, UCM has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCM is $16,436 for plains states region design students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full University of Central Missouri Design & Applied Arts Report

15

University of Minnesota - Duluth did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #15. This medium-sized school is located in Duluth, Minnesota, and it awarded 44 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Duluth not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $19,107 for plains states region design students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UMN Duluth.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at UMN Duluth

16
Bellevue University crest
Bellevue University
Bellevue, Nebraska

Bellevue University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Bellevue, Nebraska, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 54 degrees to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

Bellevue University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Bellevue University is $19,121 for plains states region design students whose families make $75-$110k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Bellevue University

17
Lindenwood University crest
Lindenwood University
Saint Charles, Missouri

With a ranking of #17, Lindenwood University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Saint Charles, Missouri, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 7 degrees to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

Lindenwood University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Lindenwood University is $19,120 for plains states region design students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Lindenwood University

18

University of Nebraska - Lincoln landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UNL is a large public school situated in Lincoln, Nebraska. It awarded 38 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

UNL also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #14. It costs about $19,553 for Plains States Region Design students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at University of Nebraska - Lincoln

19

Wichita State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Wichita State University is a public institution located in Wichita, Kansas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 28 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $17,903 for plains states region design students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Wichita State University.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Wichita State University

20

With a ranking of #20, Minneapolis Community and Technical College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Minneapolis Community and Technical College is a public institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 97 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Minneapolis Community and Technical College is $15,495 for Plains States Region Design students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Minneapolis Community and Technical College

21
Bemidji State University crest
Bemidji State University
Bemidji, Minnesota

With a ranking of #21, Bemidji State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Bemidji State University is a public institution located in Bemidji, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 23 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Bemidji State University also took the #23 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $18,078 for plains states region design students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Bemidji State University.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Bemidji State University

22

With a ranking of #22, Minnesota State University - Moorhead did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Minnesota State University - Moorhead is a medium-sized public school situated in Moorhead, Minnesota. It awarded 13 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at MSU Moorhead, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $20,019 for Plains States Region Design students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend MSU Moorhead.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Minnesota State University - Moorhead

23
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #23. Brookings, South Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s design degrees to 48 students in 2020-2021.

South Dakota State also took the #12 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State is $20,393 for Plains States Region Design students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.

Full South Dakota State University Design & Applied Arts Report

24
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Saint Cloud State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Saint Cloud State University is a fairly large school located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota that handed out 17 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $17,440 for plains states region design students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Saint Cloud State University.

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

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Saint Cloud State University

25
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. This large school is located in Manhattan, Kansas, and it awarded 17 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

K -State also took the #24 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for K -State is $20,156 for plains states region design students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Kansas State University

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