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2022 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (With Aid)

167 Ranked Colleges
8,339 Degrees Awarded
$6,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 for an Associate For Those Getting Aid” 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.

At the associate degree level specifically, there were 8,339 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,082 and $17,678 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 167 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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 for an Associate For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for associate degree design students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (With Aid)

#1

Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, New York

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Fashion Institute of Technology. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid list. Fashion Institute of Technology is located in New York, New York and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 838 associates’s design degrees to qualified students.

FIT SUNY did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Fashion Institute of Technology is $10,523 for Associate Degree Design students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Fashion Institute of Technology

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Collin County Community College District. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid. McKinney, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design degrees to 77 students in 2019-2020.

Collin County Community College District did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Collin County Community College District is $6,293 for Associate Degree Design students with aid.

Full Collin County Community College District Design & Applied Arts Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Metropolitan Community College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid. Omaha, Nebraska is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design degrees to 54 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, MCC is also in the top of our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $4,295 for associate degree design students with aid per year to attend Metropolitan Community College.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Metropolitan Community College

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Austin Community College District. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid list. Austin, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design degrees to 55 students in 2019-2020.

Austin Community College District also took the #17 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $6,861 for associate degree design students with aid per year to attend Austin Community College District.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Austin Community College District

#5

Wake Technical Community College

Raleigh, North Carolina

Out of the 167 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Wake Technical Community College landed the #5 spot on the list. Wake Technical Community College is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 95 associates’s design degrees to qualified students.

Wake Technical Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. It costs about $6,876 for associate degree design students with aid per year to attend Wake Technical Community College.

Full Wake Technical Community College Design & Applied Arts Report

#6

Nassau Community College

Garden City, New York

Nassau Community College landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid ranking. Garden City, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s design degrees to 46 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Nassau Community College, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Nassau Community College is $4,594 for Associate Degree Design students with aid.

Full Nassau Community College Design & Applied Arts Report

#7

Madison Area Technical College

Madison, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #7, Madison Area Technical College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school handed out 102 diplomas to qualified associates’s design students in 2019-2020.

Madison College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Madison College is $9,904 for associate degree design students with aid.

Full Madison College Design & Applied Arts Report

Chattahoochee Technical College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid list. Chattahoochee Technical College is a medium-sized school located in Marietta, Georgia that handed out 45 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Chattahoochee Technical College is $1,137 for associate degree design students with aid.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Chattahoochee Technical College

#9

Oakland Community College

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Oakland Community College landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid ranking. Oakland Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. It awarded 30 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $2,825 for Associate Degree Design students with aid per year to attend Oakland Community College.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Oakland Community College

#10

County College of Morris

Randolph, New Jersey

County College of Morris came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid ranking. County College of Morris is located in Randolph, New Jersey and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 30 associates’s design degrees to qualified students.

County College of Morris not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for County College of Morris is $9,173 for associate degree design students with aid.

Full County College of Morris Design & Applied Arts Report

Sinclair Community College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Dayton, Ohio, and it awarded 67 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Sinclair Community College is $4,208 for associate degree design students with aid.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Sinclair Community College

#12

Salt Lake Community College

Salt Lake City, Utah

Salt Lake Community College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid list. Salt Lake Community College is located in Salt Lake City, Utah and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 81 associates’s design degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on this list, Salt Lake Community College is in the top on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Salt Lake Community College is $6,963 for Associate Degree Design students with aid.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Salt Lake Community College

#13

Central Piedmont Community College

Charlotte, North Carolina

Central Piedmont Community College landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid ranking. Central Piedmont Community College is located in Charlotte, North Carolina and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 53 associates’s design degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Central Piedmont Community College, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $6,002 for Associate Degree Design students with aid per year to attend Central Piedmont Community College.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Central Piedmont Community College

New York City College of Technology landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Brooklyn, New York, this fairly large public school awarded 60 diplomas to qualified associates’s design students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend City Tech is $3,667 for Associate Degree Design students with aid.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at New York City College of Technology

#15

Elgin Community College

Elgin, Illinois

Elgin Community College landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Elgin, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 11 degrees to qualified associates’s design students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $4,185 for associate degree design students with aid per year to attend ECC.

Full ECC Design & Applied Arts Report

Cuyahoga Community College District ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid list. Cuyahoga Community College District is a fairly large school located in Cleveland, Ohio that handed out 52 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $5,415 for associate degree design students with aid per year to attend Cuyahoga Community College District.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Cuyahoga Community College District

Northern Virginia Community College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Annandale, Virginia, this large public school awarded 61 degrees to qualified associates’s design students in 2019-2020.

Northern Virginia Community College also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for Northern Virginia Community College is $10,005 for associate degree design students with aid.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Northern Virginia Community College

With a ranking of #18, Seminole State College of Florida did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid list. Seminole State is a public institution located in Sanford, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 46 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Seminole State is also in the top of our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. It costs about $8,326 for associate degree design students with aid per year to attend Seminole State College of Florida.

Full Seminole State College of Florida Design & Applied Arts Report

#19

Ivy Tech Community College

Indianapolis, Indiana

With a ranking of #19, Ivy Tech Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid list. Ivy Tech Community College is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 118 associates’s design degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $6,919 for Associate Degree Design students with aid per year to attend Ivy Tech Community College.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Ivy Tech Community College

Suffolk County Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #20. Suffolk County Community College is a large public school situated in Selden, New York. It awarded 35 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Suffolk County Community College is $5,533 for associate degree design students with aid.

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

#21

Washtenaw Community College

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Washtenaw Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #21. Washtenaw Community College is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 associates’s design degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Washtenaw Community College is $2,441 for associate degree design students with aid.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Washtenaw Community College

#22

Clover Park Technical College

Lakewood, Washington

With a ranking of #22, Clover Park Technical College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid list. CPTC is located in Lakewood, Washington and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 24 associates’s design degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Clover Park Technical College is $7,904 for associate degree design students with aid.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Clover Park Technical College

#23

LaGuardia Community College

Long Island City, New York

LaGuardia Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #23. LaGuardia Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Long Island City, New York. It awarded 45 associates’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

LaGuardia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. It costs about $6,766 for associate degree design students with aid per year to attend LaGuardia.

Full LaGuardia Community College Design & Applied Arts Report

#24

Henry Ford College

Dearborn, Michigan

With a ranking of #24, Henry Ford College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid list. Henry Ford College is located in Dearborn, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 19 associates’s design degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Henry Ford College is $3,182 for associate degree design students with aid.

Full Henry Ford College Design & Applied Arts Report

Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid ranking. OSU Institute of Technology is located in Okmulgee, Oklahoma and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 associates’s design degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend OSU Institute of Technology is $6,500 for Associate Degree Design students with aid.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at OSU Institute of Technology

Rest of the Best 26 in Best Value Design Schools for an Associate For Those Getting Aid

Not only did these schools make the top 26 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

Monroe Community College

Rochester, New York

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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