College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region

75 Ranked Colleges
8,508 Degrees Awarded
$13,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 36,301 people earned their degree in design and applied arts, making the major the 36th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, design and applied arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,426 and had an average of $25,481 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southeast region, there were 8,508 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,342 and $26,806 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking, we looked at 75 colleges that offer a degree in design and applied arts. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent design and applied arts programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the design and applied arts program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Design & Applied Arts Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Design Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The design school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Design & Applied Arts in the Southeast Region

1
Central Piedmont Community College crest
Central Piedmont Community College
Charlotte, North Carolina

Out of the 75 schools in the Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Central Piedmont Community College landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Charlotte, North Carolina, this fairly large public school handed out 180 diplomas to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Central Piedmont Community College is $5,710 for Southeast Region Design students.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Central Piedmont Community College

2
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia

Out of the 75 schools in the Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Liberty University landed the #2 spot on the list. Liberty University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Lynchburg, Virginia. It awarded 236 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Liberty University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Liberty University is $29,382 for southeast region design students.

Full Liberty University Design & Applied Arts Report

3
GTC crest
Gwinnett Technical College
Lawrenceville, Georgia

Out of the 75 schools in the Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Gwinnett Technical College landed the #3 spot on the list. GTC is a medium-sized school located in Lawrenceville, Georgia that handed out 116 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

GTC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Gwinnett Technical College is $12,696 for Southeast Region Design students.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Gwinnett Technical College

4

Out of the 75 schools in the Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Seminole State College of Florida landed the #4 spot on the list. Seminole State is a public institution located in Sanford, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 209 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Seminole State College of Florida is $8,427 for southeast region design students.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Seminole State College of Florida

5
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

Out of the 75 schools in the Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Appalachian State University landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in Boone, North Carolina, and it awarded 167 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Appalachian State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Appalachian State is $13,989 for southeast region design students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Appalachian State

6

Northern Virginia Community College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. This large school is located in Annandale, Virginia, and it awarded 68 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Northern Virginia Community College is $9,452 for southeast region design students.

Full Northern Virginia Community College Design & Applied Arts Report

7
Wake Technical Community College crest
Wake Technical Community College
Raleigh, North Carolina

Wake Technical Community College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #7. This large school is located in Raleigh, North Carolina, and it awarded 757 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $6,767 for southeast region design students per year to attend Wake Technical Community College.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Wake Technical Community College

8
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. UF is a large public school situated in Gainesville, Florida. It awarded 87 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

UF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UF is $5,135 for southeast region design students.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full UF Design & Applied Arts Report

9
Harding crest
Harding University
Searcy, Arkansas

Harding University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Searcy, Arkansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s design degrees to 26 students in 2020-2021.

Harding did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Harding is $19,456 for Southeast Region Design students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full Harding University Design & Applied Arts Report

10
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #10. This large school is located in Tallahassee, Florida, and it awarded 48 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Florida State also took the #11 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Florida State University is $9,946 for Southeast Region Design students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Florida State University Design & Applied Arts Report

11
Guilford Technical Community College crest
Guilford Technical Community College
Jamestown, North Carolina

Guilford Technical Community College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Guilford Technical Community College is located in Jamestown, North Carolina and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 52 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $10,898 for southeast region design students per year to attend Guilford Technical Community College.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Guilford Technical Community College

12
GaSou crest
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, Georgia

Georgia Southern University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Statesboro, Georgia, this large public school awarded 44 diplomas to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Georgia Southern University is $15,571 for Southeast Region Design students.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at GaSou

13
WCU crest
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, North Carolina

Western Carolina University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Cullowhee, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s design degrees to 24 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $13,924 for Southeast Region Design students per year to attend WCU.

Full WCU Design & Applied Arts Report

14

Tidewater Community College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region list. Norfolk, Virginia is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s design degrees to 76 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Tidewater Community College is $7,312 for Southeast Region Design students.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Tidewater Community College

15
ETSU crest
East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, Tennessee

East Tennessee State University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in Johnson City, Tennessee, this fairly large public school handed out 28 diplomas to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend East Tennessee State University is $12,894 for Southeast Region Design students.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at ETSU

16
MC crest
Mississippi College
Clinton, Mississippi

Mississippi College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #16. Mississippi College is located in Clinton, Mississippi and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend MC is $18,190 for southeast region design students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Mississippi College

17
UofM crest
University of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee

University of Memphis came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, this large public school handed out 7 diplomas to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Memphis is $13,904 for southeast region design students.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at UofM

18

With a ranking of #18, AI Miami International University of Art and Design did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region list. International Fine Arts College is located in Miami, Florida and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 92 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend AI Miami International University of Art and Design is $20,208 for southeast region design students.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at International Fine Arts College

19

Arkansas State University - Main Campus landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Jonesboro, Arkansas, this fairly large public school handed out 25 diplomas to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $14,189 for southeast region design students per year to attend A-State.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at A-State

20

University of Central Arkansas did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Conway, Arkansas, this fairly large public school handed out 24 diplomas to qualified ’s design students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Central Arkansas is $16,554 for southeast region design students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at University of Central Arkansas

21
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region list. Virginia Tech is a large public school situated in Blacksburg, Virginia. It awarded 62 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

Virginia Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $21,301 for Southeast Region Design students per year to attend Virginia Tech.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Virginia Tech

22

University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. USF Tampa is a large public school situated in Tampa, Florida. It awarded 26 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $8,346 for southeast region design students per year to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full USF Tampa Design & Applied Arts Report

23
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas

With a ranking of #23, University of Arkansas did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region list. UARK is located in Fayetteville, Arkansas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 51 ’s design degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UARK, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Arkansas is $16,507 for Southeast Region Design students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UARK Design & Applied Arts Report

24
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. North Carolina State University is a large public school situated in Raleigh, North Carolina. It awarded 82 ’s design degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NC State, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $16,411 for Southeast Region Design students per year to attend NC State.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full North Carolina State University Design & Applied Arts Report

25
WVU crest
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia

West Virginia University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Design Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #25. Morgantown, West Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s design degrees to 75 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WVU, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $13,355 for Southeast Region Design students per year to attend West Virginia University.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at WVU

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options