2026 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Michigan
[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 37 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 Michigan
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in design & applied arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools
For return on investment in design & applied arts, no school beat Henry Ford Community College this year. Located in the city of Dearborn, Henry Ford Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,568, with out-of-state students paying around $7,816. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $19,075. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Henry Ford Community College earn a median of $19,911 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes Muskegon Community College one of the best values for design & applied arts. Muskegon Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Muskegon. In-state tuition and fees average $7,250, compared with $16,010 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $14,928 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $48,267. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Kalamazoo Valley Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Valley Community College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,144, compared with $9,094 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $15,525 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $44,198. Set against $15,525 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #4 makes Jackson Community College one of the best values for design & applied arts. Set in the rural area of Jackson, Jackson Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,350, while out-of-state students pay about $10,200. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $16,960. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $41,322. Set against $16,960 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in design & applied arts will find it at St Clair County Community College, which ranked #5. Located in the suburb of Port Huron, St Clair County Community College is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,212, compared with $12,150 for out-of-state students. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $16,379 in student loans. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $45,735. That is a strong return on a $16,379 median debt.
Ferris State University earned the #6 position for value in design & applied arts this year. Ferris State University is a large public school located in the town of Big Rapids. In-state tuition and fees average $14,778. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $27,000. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $34,045. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Oakland University placed #7 among the best values for design & applied arts. Set in the suburb of Rochester Hills, Oakland University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,167, while out-of-state students pay about $24,735. Students borrow a median of $27,954 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $30,687. Set against $27,954 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Saginaw Valley State University landed the #8 spot for design & applied arts value this year. Set in the suburb of University Center, Saginaw Valley State University is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,930, while out-of-state students pay about $30,450. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $26,125 in student loans. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Saginaw Valley State University generally make around $27,577. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Central Michigan University landed the #9 spot for design & applied arts value this year. Located in the town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,480. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $28,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Central Michigan University generally make around $36,917. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Eastern Michigan University came in at #10 for value in design & applied arts this year. Located in the suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,990. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $28,781. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Eastern Michigan University generally make around $38,443. That is a strong return on a $28,781 median debt. Eastern Michigan University admits about 80% of applicants.
Western Michigan University earned the #11 position for value in design & applied arts this year. Western Michigan University is a large public school located in the city of Kalamazoo. In-state tuition and fees average $15,987, while out-of-state students pay about $19,952. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Western Michigan University earn a median of $39,077 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Michigan State University came in at #12 for value in design & applied arts this year. Michigan State University is a very large public school located in the city of East Lansing. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,079, with out-of-state students paying around $44,850. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $28,175 in student loans. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Michigan State University generally make around $36,784. That is a strong return on a $28,175 median debt. Michigan State University admits about 85% of applicants.
Adrian College ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best value design & applied arts schools. Set in the town of Adrian, Adrian College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $41,684. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $28,071. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Adrian College generally make around $43,444. That is a strong return on a $28,071 median debt. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Cornerstone University placed #14 among the best values for design & applied arts. Cornerstone University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Grand Rapids. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $23,000. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $29,243 in student loans. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $44,501. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 78%.
College For Creative Studies placed #15 among the best values for design & applied arts. Located in the city of Detroit, College For Creative Studies is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $53,350 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from College For Creative Studies generally make around $32,665. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 92%.
Lawrence Technological University placed #16 among the best values for design & applied arts. Set in the city of Southfield, Lawrence Technological University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $44,760. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $27,799. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Lawrence Technological University generally make around $74,924. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Lawrence Technological University admits about 56% of applicants.
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 37 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.
