2026 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Montana
[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.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value design & applied arts schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Montana
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in design & applied arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools
Montana State University earned the #1 spot for value among design & applied arts schools in Montana. Located in the city of Bozeman, Montana State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,460 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $33,287. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $18,880 in student loans. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Montana State University earn a median of $36,931 early in their careers. Set against $18,880 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings
View All Design & Applied Arts Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
