2027 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Michigan
[Design & Applied Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 15 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 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. Henry Ford Community College is a large public school located in the city of Dearborn. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,568, with out-of-state students paying around $7,816. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $19,075 in student loans. 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.
Students looking for strong value in design & applied arts will find it at Muskegon Community College, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Muskegon, Muskegon Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,250, with out-of-state students paying around $16,010. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $14,928 in student loans. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $48,267. That is a strong return on a $14,928 median debt.
Southwestern Michigan College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts, landing the #3 spot this year. Southwestern Michigan College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Dowagiac. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,417, with out-of-state students paying around $8,394. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $16,575. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Southwestern Michigan College earn a median of $43,153 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,575 median debt.
Ferris State University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value design & applied arts schools. Ferris State University is a large public school located in the town of Big Rapids. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,778. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Ferris State University earn a median of $34,045 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 91%.
University Of Michigan Flint is a great value for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Flint, University Of Michigan Flint is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,236, while out-of-state students pay about $27,790. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $30,695 in student loans. Design & Applied Arts graduates of University Of Michigan Flint earn a median of $18,339 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 70%.
Oakland University earned the #6 position for value in design & applied arts this year. Located in the suburb of Rochester Hills, Oakland University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,167, compared with $24,735 for out-of-state students. 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 placed #7 among the best values for design & applied arts. Saginaw Valley State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of University Center. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $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. That is a strong return on a $26,125 median debt. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Western Michigan University came in at #8 for value in design & applied arts this year. Western Michigan University is a large public school located in the city of Kalamazoo. Students from in state pay about $15,987 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $19,952. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $27,000. 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.
Eastern Michigan University came in at #9 for value in design & applied arts this year. Set in the suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $16,990. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $28,781. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $38,443. That is a strong return on a $28,781 median debt. Eastern Michigan University admits about 80% of applicants.
Central Michigan University landed the #10 spot for design & applied arts value this year. Central Michigan University is a large public school located in the town of Mount Pleasant. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,480. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $28,500 in student loans. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Central Michigan University earn a median of $36,917 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $28,500 median debt. Central Michigan University admits about 90% of applicants.
Michigan State University landed the #11 spot for design & applied arts value this year. Set in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,079, while out-of-state students pay about $44,850. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $28,175. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Michigan State University generally make around $36,784. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Michigan State University admits about 85% of applicants.
Cornerstone University placed #12 among the best values for design & applied arts. Located in the city of Grand Rapids, Cornerstone University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $23,000. Students borrow a median of $29,243 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $44,501. That is a strong return on a $29,243 median debt. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Adrian College placed #13 among the best values for design & applied arts. Adrian College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Adrian. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $41,684. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $28,071. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $43,444. That is a strong return on a $28,071 median debt. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Lawrence Technological University ranked #14 on our 2027 list of the best value design & applied arts schools. Lawrence Technological University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Southfield. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $44,760. Students borrow a median of $27,799 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $74,924. Set against $27,799 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 56% of applicants are accepted.
College For Creative Studies earned the #15 position for value in design & applied arts this year. Located in the city of Detroit, College For Creative Studies is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $53,350. 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. College For Creative Studies admits about 92% of applicants.
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 · 15 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 15 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.
