2027 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Tennessee
[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.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 14 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 Tennessee
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the design & applied arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools
Our analysis ranked Southwest Tennessee Community College the best value for a degree in design & applied arts in Tennessee. Southwest Tennessee Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Memphis. In-state tuition and fees average $4,766, compared with $17,750 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $11,406. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Southwest Tennessee Community College generally make around $43,592. That is a strong return on a $11,406 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Pellissippi State Community College earned it the #2 place for design & applied arts. Located in the suburb of Knoxville, Pellissippi State Community College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $4,786 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $17,770. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $8,951. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Pellissippi State Community College earn a median of $43,816 early in their careers. Set against $8,951 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #3 makes Chattanooga State Community College one of the best values for design & applied arts. Set in the city of Chattanooga, Chattanooga State Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,772, compared with $17,756 for out-of-state students. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $11,681 in student loans. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Chattanooga State Community College generally make around $20,165. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #4 makes Middle Tennessee State University one of the best values for design & applied arts. Set in the city of Murfreesboro, Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,266, compared with $31,574 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $22,754. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Middle Tennessee State University generally make around $38,807. That is a strong return on a $22,754 median debt. The acceptance rate is 69%.
Tennessee Technological University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts, landing the #5 spot this year. Tennessee Technological University is a large public school located in the town of Cookeville. Students from in state pay about $11,376 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $15,576. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $17,580 in student loans. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Tennessee Technological University generally make around $46,981. Set against $17,580 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Tennessee Technological University admits about 76% of applicants.
Tennessee College Of Applied Technology Murfreesboro landed the #6 spot for design & applied arts value this year. Set in the city of Murfreesboro, Tennessee College Of Applied Technology Murfreesboro is a small public institution. Students borrow a median of $10,723 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $37,744. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
East Tennessee State University earned the #7 position for value in design & applied arts this year. Set in the city of Johnson City, East Tennessee State University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,216 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $13,726. Students borrow a median of $19,250 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Design & Applied Arts graduates of East Tennessee State University earn a median of $34,177 early in their careers. Set against $19,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Tennessee earned the #8 position for value in design & applied arts this year. Located in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,812 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $33,256. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $22,859 in student loans. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from The University Of Tennessee generally make around $36,061. Set against $22,859 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The University Of Tennessee admits about 42% of applicants.
Maryville College ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value design & applied arts schools. Maryville College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Maryville. Students from in state pay about $39,284 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $26,428. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Maryville College generally make around $42,971. That is a strong return on a $26,428 median debt. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
Tennessee College Of Applied Technology Memphis earned the #10 position for value in design & applied arts this year. Located in the city of Memphis, Tennessee College Of Applied Technology Memphis is a mid-sized public university. Students borrow a median of $12,073 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Tennessee College Of Applied Technology Memphis generally make around $28,814. Set against $12,073 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Freed Hardeman University placed #11 among the best values for design & applied arts. Located in the town of Henderson, Freed Hardeman University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $25,620 in tuition and fees. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $24,479 in student loans. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Freed Hardeman University generally make around $54,530. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
Lipscomb University landed the #12 spot for design & applied arts value this year. Lipscomb University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Nashville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $40,572. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $23,529. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $48,949. That is a strong return on a $23,529 median debt. Lipscomb University admits about 68% of applicants.
Nossi College Of Art earned the #13 position for value in design & applied arts this year. Nossi College Of Art is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Nashville. Students from in state pay about $20,350 in tuition and fees. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $46,500 in student loans. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Nossi College Of Art earn a median of $24,497 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $46,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 46%.
Belmont University landed the #14 spot for design & applied arts value this year. Located in the city of Nashville, Belmont University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $42,540. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $28,702. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 95%.
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 · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 14 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.
