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2027 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in District of Columbia

[Design & Applied Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong design & applied arts education at a price that pays off.

College Factual analyzed 2 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value design & applied arts schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in District of Columbia

2027 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in District of Columbia

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in design & applied arts, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools

1

George Washington University
Washington, DC

$67,710 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,910 Avg Student Debt

$90,873 Median Earnings (10yr)

George Washington University earned the #1 spot for value among design & applied arts schools in District of Columbia. Located in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,710. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $22,910. Design & Applied Arts graduates of George Washington University earn a median of $54,222 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,910 median debt. George Washington University admits about 47% of applicants.

2

American University
Washington, DC

$58,771 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,139 Avg Student Debt

$77,370 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in design & applied arts will find it at American University, which ranked #2. American University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. In-state tuition and fees average $58,771. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $24,139 in student loans. Design & Applied Arts graduates of American University earn a median of $54,585 early in their careers. Set against $24,139 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. American University admits about 62% of applicants.

View All Design & Applied Arts Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 2 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.