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2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

20 Ranked Colleges
228 Degrees Awarded
$14,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 5,657 people earned their degree in visual communications, making the major the 161st most popular in the United States.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 907 visual communications graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 228 visual communications graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 20 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in visual communications. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great visual communications programs and 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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 Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

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

Top 20 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Visual Communications (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Notre Dame landed the #1 spot on the list. Notre Dame is located in Notre Dame, Indiana and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 40 bachelors’s graphic arts degrees to qualified students.

Notre Dame also made our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $12,498 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Notre Dame.

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. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Visual Communications at Notre Dame

#2

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Purdue is a large school located in West Lafayette, Indiana that handed out 14 bachelors’s graphic arts degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, Purdue has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Purdue is $5,483 for Great Lakes Region 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 low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Visual Communications Report

#3

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University - Bloomington. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s graphic arts degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $4,969 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend IU Bloomington.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%.

Read more about Visual Communications at Indiana University - Bloomington

#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Ohio State University - Main Campus is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 15 bachelors’s graphic arts degrees to qualified students.

Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $8,194 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Ohio State.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 Visual Communications at Ohio State

#5

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, Michigan
#11 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ferris State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This fairly large school is located in Big Rapids, Michigan, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s graphic arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ferris, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ferris is $7,207 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Visual Communications at Ferris

#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is a public institution located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Green Bay not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Green Bay is $11,337 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full UW - Green Bay Visual Communications Report

#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large public school handed out 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s graphic arts students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, UIC has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UIC is $10,648 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 Visual Communications at UIC

#18 in overall quality

University of Michigan - Flint ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UM Flint is a public institution located in Flint, Michigan. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UM Flint did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $7,955 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UM Flint.

Read full report on Visual Communications at University of Michigan - Flint

#14 in overall quality

University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Fort Wayne, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s graphic arts degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.

University of St. Francis Fort Wayne not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne is $12,429 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne Visual Communications Report

#13 in overall quality

Bowling Green State University - Main Campus ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Bowling Green, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s graphic arts degrees to 28 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at BGSU, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend BGSU is $14,521 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Visual Communications at BGSU

#11

Shawnee State University

Portsmouth, Ohio
#20 in overall quality

Shawnee State University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Shawnee State University is a small school located in Portsmouth, Ohio that handed out 2 bachelors’s graphic arts degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, Shawnee State University has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,697 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Shawnee State University.

Read full report on Visual Communications at Shawnee State University

#12

University of Dayton

Dayton, Ohio
#5 in overall quality

University of Dayton came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Dayton, Ohio, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 17 degrees to qualified bachelors’s graphic arts students in 2019-2020.

UDayton also took the #5 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $24,237 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UDayton.

The low student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 91%.

Read more about Visual Communications at University of Dayton

#13

University of Evansville

Evansville, Indiana
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, University of Evansville did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Evansville is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evansville, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, UE has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,212 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UE.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about Visual Communications at UE

#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, Ohio Northern University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. ONU is a small school located in Ada, Ohio that handed out 5 bachelors’s graphic arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at ONU, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $19,565 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend ONU.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Visual Communications at Ohio Northern University

#15

Spring Arbor University

Spring Arbor, Michigan
#15 in overall quality

Spring Arbor University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. Spring Arbor University is a small school located in Spring Arbor, Michigan that handed out 4 bachelors’s graphic arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Spring Arbor also made our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $14,962 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Spring Arbor.

Read more about Visual Communications at Spring Arbor

#16

Madonna University

Livonia, Michigan
#16 in overall quality

Madonna University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. Madonna is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Livonia, Michigan. It awarded 2 bachelors’s graphic arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Madonna also made our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for Madonna University is $13,455 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Madonna Visual Communications Report

#17

Anderson University Indiana

Anderson, Indiana
#19 in overall quality

Anderson University Indiana ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Anderson, Indiana, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s graphic arts degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, Anderson University Indiana has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $16,528 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Anderson University Indiana.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Visual Communications at Anderson University Indiana

#18

Art Academy of Cincinnati

Cincinnati, Ohio
#17 in overall quality

Art Academy of Cincinnati did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. Art Academy of Cincinnati is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

AAC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for AAC is $19,076 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Graphic Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

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.

Full Art Academy of Cincinnati Visual Communications Report

#19

Lawrence Technological University

Southfield, Michigan
#2 in overall quality

Lawrence Technological University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Southfield, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 5 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s graphic arts students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lawrence Tech, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lawrence Tech is $31,543 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Lawrence Technological University Visual Communications Report

#20

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

Loyola University Chicago landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Loyola University Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, Loyola Chicago has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Visual Communications Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Loyola University Chicago is $29,440 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree graphic arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Visual Communications at Loyola University Chicago

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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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