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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts in Ohio

20 Ranked Colleges
1,039 Degrees Awarded
$21,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor's in Ohio

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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 Ohio, there were 1,943 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,261 and $22,569 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,039 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,281 and $26,151 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio” ranking analyzed 20 colleges that offered a degree in design and applied arts. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent design and applied arts programs, but they also 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Design & Applied Arts Schools

The design school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 a Bachelor’s in Ohio

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio.

Top 20 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts in Ohio

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Cincinnati - Main Campus. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio. Cincinnati, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 205 students in 2019-2020.

UC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is $21,843 for Ohio Bachelor’s Degree Design students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Full University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Design & Applied Arts Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio list. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 43 students in 2019-2020.

Ohio State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” list. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State University - Main Campus is $17,616 for ohio bachelor’s degree design students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%.

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Design & Applied Arts Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Kent State University at Kent. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio list. Kent State University at Kent is a public institution located in Kent, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 234 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Kent State also took the #5 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Kent State is $18,885 for ohio bachelor’s degree design students.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Kent State

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio that were part of this year’s ranking, Bowling Green State University - Main Campus landed the #4 spot on the list. Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Bowling Green, Ohio. It awarded 56 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at BGSU, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is $18,394 for ohio bachelor’s degree design students.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Bowling Green State University - Main Campus

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Miami University - Oxford. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio. Miami University - Oxford is a public institution located in Oxford, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 69 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Miami University - Oxford, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” ranking. It costs about $24,323 for ohio bachelor’s degree design students per year to attend Miami University - Oxford.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Full Miami University - Oxford Design & Applied Arts Report

#6

Franklin University

Columbus, Ohio

Franklin University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio ranking. Franklin University is a medium-sized school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 12 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Franklin University also took the #14 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Franklin University is $12,895 for ohio bachelor’s degree design students.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Franklin University

With a ranking of #7, University of Akron Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio list. Located in Akron, Ohio, this fairly large public school handed out 30 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

University of Akron Main Campus not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Akron Main Campus is $17,792 for ohio bachelor’s degree design students.

Full University of Akron Main Campus Design & Applied Arts Report

Ohio University - Athens Campus landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio ranking. Athens, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 21 students in 2019-2020.

OHIO Athens also took the #12 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for OHIO Athens is $22,906 for ohio bachelor’s degree design students.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Ohio University - Athens Campus

#9

Cleveland State University

Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio list. Cleveland State University is a fairly large public school situated in Cleveland, Ohio. It awarded 12 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Cleveland State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” list. The estimated yearly cost for Cleveland State University is $17,278 for Ohio Bachelor’s Degree Design students.

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

With a ranking of #10, Herzing University - Akron did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio list. Herzing Akron is a private not-for-profit institution located in Akron, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Herzing Akron not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” list. The yearly cost to attend Herzing University - Akron is $22,416 for ohio bachelor’s degree design students.

Full Herzing University - Akron Design & Applied Arts Report

#11

Cedarville University

Cedarville, Ohio

With a ranking of #11, Cedarville University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio list. Located in Cedarville, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 33 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

Cedarville also took the #6 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cedarville is $21,727 for ohio bachelor’s degree design students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 2.0% 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 more about Design & Applied Arts at Cedarville University

#12

Shawnee State University

Portsmouth, Ohio

Shawnee State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio ranking. Portsmouth, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

Shawnee State University also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” list, coming in at #19. The yearly cost to attend Shawnee State University is $16,320 for Ohio Bachelor’s Degree Design students.

Full Shawnee State University Design & Applied Arts Report

#13

Otterbein University

Westerville, Ohio
#7 in overall quality

Otterbein University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio ranking, coming in at #13. Otterbein is a small school located in Westerville, Ohio that handed out 5 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Otterbein also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend Otterbein University is $23,386 for Ohio Bachelor’s Degree Design students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Otterbein Design & Applied Arts Report

#8 in overall quality

Ohio Northern University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio ranking. Ada, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our ohio bachelor’s degree design students list, ONU has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ohio Northern University is $24,072 for Ohio Bachelor’s Degree Design students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Ohio Northern University

Baldwin Wallace University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio ranking. Baldwin Wallace University is a small school located in Berea, Ohio that handed out 13 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Baldwin Wallace College, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” ranking. It costs about $22,917 for ohio bachelor’s degree design students per year to attend Baldwin Wallace University.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Baldwin Wallace College Design & Applied Arts Report

Columbus College of Art and Design came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio ranking. CCAD is a small school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 125 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

CCAD did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” list. The yearly cost to attend Columbus College of Art and Design is $27,299 for ohio bachelor’s degree design students.

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.

Full CCAD Design & Applied Arts Report

#17

Notre Dame College

Cleveland, Ohio

Notre Dame College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio list. Notre Dame College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cleveland, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

NDC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” list. The estimated yearly cost for Notre Dame College is $19,907 for ohio bachelor’s degree design students.

Full NDC Design & Applied Arts Report

#18

Art Academy of Cincinnati

Cincinnati, Ohio

Art Academy of Cincinnati came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio ranking. This small school is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

AAC also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend AAC is $24,071 for ohio bachelor’s degree design students.

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.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at AAC

#19

The North Coast College

Lakewood, Ohio
#20 in overall quality

The North Coast College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio ranking, coming in at #19. Lakewood, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

The North Coast College also took the #20 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” ranking. It costs about $24,670 for ohio bachelor’s degree design students per year to attend The North Coast College.

With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full The North Coast College Design & Applied Arts Report

#20

University of Dayton

Dayton, Ohio

University of Dayton ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Ohio list. UDayton is located in Dayton, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

UDayton also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Ohio” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend UDayton is $31,003 for Ohio Bachelor’s Degree Design students.

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%. 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 UDayton

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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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