2027 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Nebraska

[Design & Applied Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. 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 7 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 Nebraska
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in design & applied arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools
Leading the list is Metropolitan Community College Area, our #1 best value for design & applied arts in Nebraska. Metropolitan Community College Area is a very large public school located in the city of Omaha. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,375, compared with $4,950 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $12,526. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Metropolitan Community College Area earn a median of $29,902 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Central Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Grand Island, Central Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,360, while out-of-state students pay about $4,800. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $10,277. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Central Community College generally make around $43,218. Set against $10,277 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #3 makes Northeast Community College one of the best values for design & applied arts. Set in the town of Norfolk, Northeast Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,840, compared with $5,130 for out-of-state students. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $11,937 in student loans. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Northeast Community College earn a median of $40,568 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,937 median debt.
A rank of #4 makes Southeast Community College Area one of the best values for design & applied arts. Southeast Community College Area is a large public school located in the city of Lincoln. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,444, while out-of-state students pay about $4,032. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $14,935. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Southeast Community College Area generally make around $44,877. That is a strong return on a $14,935 median debt.
University Of Nebraska At Kearney came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value design & applied arts schools. University Of Nebraska At Kearney is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Kearney. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,564, with out-of-state students paying around $16,484. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $22,173. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from University Of Nebraska At Kearney generally make around $46,744. That is a strong return on a $22,173 median debt. University Of Nebraska At Kearney admits about 90% of applicants.
Bellevue University landed the #6 spot for design & applied arts value this year. Bellevue University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Bellevue. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,873. Students borrow a median of $29,688 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Bellevue University earn a median of $39,313 early in their careers. Set against $29,688 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of Nebraska Lincoln landed the #7 spot for design & applied arts value this year. Located in the city of Lincoln, University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,434, with out-of-state students paying around $28,584. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. Design & Applied Arts graduates of University Of Nebraska Lincoln earn a median of $38,585 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,500 median debt. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.