2027 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Oregon
[Design & Applied Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for design & applied arts students.
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2027 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Oregon
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the design & applied arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools
Leading the list is Chemeketa Community College, our #1 best value for design & applied arts in Oregon. Located in the suburb of Salem, Chemeketa Community College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $6,345 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $14,040. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $15,755 in student loans. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Chemeketa Community College earn a median of $45,440 early in their careers. Set against $15,755 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Mt Hood Community College came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value design & applied arts schools. Mt Hood Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Gresham. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,247, while out-of-state students pay about $9,819. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $18,767. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $53,948. Set against $18,767 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Portland State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Portland, Portland State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,118, compared with $29,136 for out-of-state students. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $26,995 in student loans. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Portland State University earn a median of $35,304 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 91%.
Students looking for strong value in design & applied arts will find it at Lane Community College, which ranked #4. Lane Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Eugene. In-state tuition and fees average $6,202, with out-of-state students paying around $13,078. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $18,373 in student loans. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Lane Community College earn a median of $60,759 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $18,373 median debt.
Portland Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Portland, Portland Community College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $5,220 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $10,440. Students borrow a median of $17,512 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Portland Community College earn a median of $26,285 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Rogue Community College came in at #6 for value in design & applied arts this year. Set in the suburb of Grants Pass, Rogue Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,256, compared with $6,300 for out-of-state students. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $15,248 in student loans. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Rogue Community College generally make around $51,243. That is a strong return on a $15,248 median debt.
Oregon State University earned the #7 position for value in design & applied arts this year. Oregon State University is a very large public school located in the city of Corvallis. Students from in state pay about $14,400 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $38,190. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $23,419. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $35,614. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 77%.
University Of Oregon ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value design & applied arts schools. University Of Oregon is a very large public school located in the city of Eugene. Students from in state pay about $15,320 in tuition and fees, compared with $42,516 for out-of-state students. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $29,050 in student loans. Design & Applied Arts graduates of University Of Oregon earn a median of $28,844 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $29,050 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
George Fox University landed the #9 spot for design & applied arts value this year. George Fox University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Newberg. In-state tuition and fees average $41,320. Students borrow a median of $25,324 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from George Fox University generally make around $52,898. Set against $25,324 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 94%.
Pacific Northwest College Of Art landed the #10 spot for design & applied arts value this year. Set in the city of Portland, Pacific Northwest College Of Art is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $49,006. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $26,899 in student loans. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Pacific Northwest College Of Art earn a median of $19,501 early in their careers. Set against $26,899 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 75%.
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
