2027 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Iowa
[Design & Applied Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
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 Iowa
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 Western Iowa Tech Community College the best value for a degree in design & applied arts in Iowa. Located in the city of Sioux City, Western Iowa Tech Community College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,186, compared with $5,330 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $11,886. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Western Iowa Tech Community College earn a median of $35,742 early in their careers. Set against $11,886 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in design & applied arts will find it at Kirkwood Community College, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Cedar Rapids, Kirkwood Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,176, with out-of-state students paying around $8,220. Students borrow a median of $10,519 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Kirkwood Community College earn a median of $32,116 early in their careers. Set against $10,519 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in design & applied arts will find it at Des Moines Area Community College, which ranked #3. Set in the suburb of Ankeny, Des Moines Area Community College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,790, with out-of-state students paying around $6,690. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $13,625 in student loans. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Des Moines Area Community College earn a median of $25,265 early in their careers. Set against $13,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Hawkeye Community College came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value design & applied arts schools. Located in the rural area of Waterloo, Hawkeye Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $6,525 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,612. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $17,001. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $41,902. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Northern Iowa earned it the #5 place for design & applied arts. Set in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,936 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $21,712. Students borrow a median of $25,100 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $38,637. That is a strong return on a $25,100 median debt. The acceptance rate is 93%.
Iowa State University came in at #6 for value in design & applied arts this year. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. In-state tuition and fees average $10,787, with out-of-state students paying around $28,881. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $36,634. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Upper Iowa University placed #7 among the best values for design & applied arts. Upper Iowa University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Fayette. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $19,475. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $39,780 in student loans. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Upper Iowa University generally make around $31,122. That is a strong return on a $39,780 median debt. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
Luther College ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value design & applied arts schools. Set in the town of Decorah, Luther College is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $52,120. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $26,967. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Luther College generally make around $42,426. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Drake University placed #9 among the best values for design & applied arts. Set in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $51,960. Students borrow a median of $22,273 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Drake University earn a median of $56,228 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 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.
