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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Visual Communications (Income $0-$30k) in California

12 Ranked Colleges
536 Degrees Awarded
$19,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Visual Communications is the 161st most popular major in the country with 5,657 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across California, there were 726 visual communications graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 536 visual communications graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 12 colleges that offered a degree in visual communications. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent visual communications programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the visual communications program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The graphic arts 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 Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 12 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Visual Communications (Income $0-$30k) in California

#2 in overall quality

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Davis landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Davis, California, and it awarded 235 bachelors’s graphic arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Davis, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Davis is $9,842 for california bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UC Davis Visual Communications Report

#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - San Diego. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in La Jolla, California, this large public school handed out 24 degrees to qualified bachelors’s graphic arts students in 2019-2020.

UCSD also made our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $9,280 for california bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - San Diego.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full UCSD Visual Communications Report

#3

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend San Francisco State University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. San Francisco State University is a large public school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 63 bachelors’s graphic arts degrees in 2019-2020.

SFSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend SFSU is $11,123 for California Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full San Francisco State University Visual Communications Report

#4

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Southern California landed the #4 spot on the list. USC is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 5 bachelors’s graphic arts degrees in 2019-2020.

USC also took the #1 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Southern California is $14,668 for California Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low 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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Visual Communications at USC

#11 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Monterey Bay. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Seaside, California, this medium-sized public school awarded 47 degrees to qualified bachelors’s graphic arts students in 2019-2020.

CSUMB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Monterey Bay is $7,688 for california bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Monterey Bay Visual Communications Report

#9 in overall quality

California State University - Chico landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. California State University - Chico is located in Chico, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 63 bachelors’s graphic arts degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, Chico State has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Chico is $10,260 for California Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

Read more about Visual Communications at Chico State

#7

University of Redlands

Redlands, California
#7 in overall quality

University of Redlands did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. This small school is located in Redlands, California, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s graphic arts degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Redlands also took the #7 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $21,763 for California Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Redlands.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Redlands Visual Communications Report

#8

Biola University

La Mirada, California
#10 in overall quality

Biola University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. This medium-sized school is located in La Mirada, California, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s graphic arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Biola also took the #10 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $25,135 for California Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Biola University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Visual Communications at Biola University

#9

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, California
#6 in overall quality

University of San Francisco ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of San Francisco is a fairly large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 39 bachelors’s graphic arts degrees in 2019-2020.

USFCA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for USFCA is $27,690 for California Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full USFCA Visual Communications Report

#10

Otis College of Art and Design

Los Angeles, California
#3 in overall quality

Otis College of Art and Design landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 36 degrees to qualified bachelors’s graphic arts students in 2019-2020.

Otis College of Art and Design not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $37,708 for california bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Otis College of Art and Design.

The low student loan default rate of 3.0% 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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Otis College of Art and Design Visual Communications Report

#8 in overall quality

FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s graphic arts degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

FIDM Los Angeles also made our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend FIDM Los Angeles is $37,103 for california bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Visual Communications at FIDM Los Angeles

#12

Platt College - Ontario

Ontario, California
#12 in overall quality

Platt College - Ontario did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. Platt College - Ontario is located in Ontario, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s graphic arts degrees to qualified students.

Platt College - Ontario did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Platt College - Ontario is $22,554 for California Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Visual Communications at Platt College - Ontario

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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