2026 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Oregon
[Design & Applied Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong design & applied arts education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 16 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for design & applied arts students.
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2026 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
Mt Hood Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value design & applied arts schools in Oregon. Mt Hood Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Gresham. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,247, compared with $9,819 for out-of-state students. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $18,767 in student loans. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Mt Hood Community College generally make around $53,948. That is a strong return on a $18,767 median debt.
Chemeketa Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts, landing the #2 spot this year. Chemeketa Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Salem. Students from in state pay about $6,345 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $14,040. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $15,755 in student loans. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $45,440. Set against $15,755 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Lane Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts, landing the #3 spot this year. Lane Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Eugene. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,202, with out-of-state students paying around $13,078. Students borrow a median of $18,373 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $60,759. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Portland Community College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value design & applied arts schools. Set in the city of Portland, Portland Community College is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,220, while out-of-state students pay about $10,440. Students borrow a median of $17,512 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $26,285. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Rogue Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Grants Pass, Rogue Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,256 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,300. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $15,248. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $51,243. Set against $15,248 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Portland State University came in at #6 for value in design & applied arts this year. Set in the city of Portland, Portland State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,118 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $29,136. 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. That is a strong return on a $26,995 median debt. The acceptance rate is 91%.
Oregon State University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value design & applied arts schools. Set in the city of Corvallis, Oregon State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $14,400 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $38,190. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $23,419 in student loans. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Oregon State University earn a median of $35,614 early in their careers. Set against $23,419 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Oregon State University admits about 77% of applicants.
University Of Oregon landed the #8 spot for design & applied arts value this year. Set in the city of Eugene, University Of Oregon is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,320, compared with $42,516 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $29,050 to complete the design & applied arts program here. 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. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
George Fox University came in at #9 for value in design & applied arts this year. Set in the town of Newberg, George Fox University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $41,320. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $25,324 in student loans. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from George Fox University generally make around $52,898. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 94%.
Pacific Northwest College Of Art placed #10 among the best values for design & applied arts. Located in the city of Portland, Pacific Northwest College Of Art is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $49,006. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $26,899. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $19,501. Set against $26,899 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
