2027 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Arkansas
[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 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 9 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for design & applied arts students.
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2027 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Arkansas
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in design & applied arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools
Our analysis ranked Northwest Arkansas Community College the best value for a degree in design & applied arts in Arkansas. Set in the city of Bentonville, Northwest Arkansas Community College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,342, with out-of-state students paying around $5,238. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $12,479. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Northwest Arkansas Community College earn a median of $40,671 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $12,479 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in design & applied arts will find it at University Of Arkansas Fort Smith, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Fort Smith, University Of Arkansas Fort Smith is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,334, compared with $12,182 for out-of-state students. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $20,333 in student loans. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from University Of Arkansas Fort Smith generally make around $39,204. That is a strong return on a $20,333 median debt. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
Arkansas State University Main Campus came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value design & applied arts schools. Located in the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas State University Main Campus is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,090 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $14,522. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $23,399 in student loans. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Arkansas State University Main Campus earn a median of $35,970 early in their careers. Set against $23,399 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
A rank of #4 makes Arkansas Tech University one of the best values for design & applied arts. Arkansas Tech University is a large public school located in the town of Russellville. In-state tuition and fees average $8,674, with out-of-state students paying around $14,668. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $28,950 in student loans. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Arkansas Tech University generally make around $20,285. Set against $28,950 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Arkansas Tech University admits about 96% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in design & applied arts will find it at University Of Central Arkansas, which ranked #5. University Of Central Arkansas is a large public school located in the city of Conway. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,523, while out-of-state students pay about $18,023. Students borrow a median of $22,920 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from University Of Central Arkansas generally make around $43,106. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
University Of Arkansas came in at #6 for value in design & applied arts this year. University Of Arkansas is a very large public school located in the city of Fayetteville. Students from in state pay about $10,104 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $29,966. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $23,881. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from University Of Arkansas generally make around $41,782. Set against $23,881 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Arkansas admits about 74% of applicants.
John Brown University came in at #7 for value in design & applied arts this year. John Brown University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Siloam Springs. Students from in state pay about $31,756 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $20,500. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from John Brown University generally make around $24,893. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
Harding University placed #8 among the best values for design & applied arts. Located in the town of Searcy, Harding University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $25,962. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $26,715 in student loans. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $35,582. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
Ouachita Baptist University came in at #9 for value in design & applied arts this year. Located in the town of Arkadelphia, Ouachita Baptist University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $34,500. Students borrow a median of $23,520 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Ouachita Baptist University generally make around $35,820. Set against $23,520 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 68%.
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. 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 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.
