2023 Best Value Colleges for Visual Communications (Income $30-$48k) in California
12
Ranked Colleges
702
Degrees Awarded
$21,900
Avg Net Price*
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
In 2020-2021, 5,765 people earned their degree in visual communications, making the major the 154th most popular in the United States.
Across California, there were 702 visual communications graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 12 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
More Ways to Rank Visual Communications Schools
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k.
Top 12 Best Value Colleges for Visual Communications (Income $30-$48k) in California
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Davis. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k. This large school is located in Davis, California, and it awarded 228 ’s graphic arts degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Davis, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Davis is $11,598 for california graphic arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Visual Communications at UC Davis
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend San Francisco State University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. SFSU is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 80 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SFSU, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SFSU is $11,862 for california graphic arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Visual Communications at SFSU
Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - San Diego landed the #3 spot on the list. La Jolla, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s graphic arts degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.
UCSD also made our “Best Visual Communications Schools in California” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $11,176 for california graphic arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UCSD.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Visual Communications at University of California - San Diego
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Southern California. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s graphic arts degrees to 30 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at USC, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $17,345 for california graphic arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Southern California.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Visual Communications at University of Southern California
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Chico. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Chico, California, this fairly large public school awarded 62 degrees to qualified ’s graphic arts students in 2020-2021.
Chico State also took the #10 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Chico is $13,040 for California Graphic Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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%.
Read full report on Visual Communications at Chico State
California State University - Monterey Bay landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State University - Monterey Bay is located in Seaside, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 31 ’s graphic arts degrees to qualified students.
CSUMB also took the #12 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Monterey Bay is $10,711 for california graphic arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 CSUMB Visual Communications Report
University of Redlands did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Redlands, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 25 degrees to qualified ’s graphic arts students in 2020-2021.
University of Redlands not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Visual Communications Schools in California” list. It costs about $22,360 for california graphic arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Redlands.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 University of Redlands Visual Communications Report
With a ranking of #8, FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. FIDM Los Angeles is a small school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 69 ’s graphic arts degrees in 2020-2021.
FIDM Los Angeles also made our “Best Visual Communications Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $41,318 for California Graphic Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend FIDM Los Angeles.
Read more about Visual Communications at FIDM Los Angeles
Biola University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. La Mirada, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s graphic arts degrees to 9 students in 2020-2021.
Biola not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Visual Communications Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Biola is $26,419 for california graphic arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Biola University Visual Communications Report
California College of the Arts came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. San Francisco, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s graphic arts degrees to 25 students in 2020-2021.
California College of the Arts also made our “Best Visual Communications Schools in California” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for California College of the Arts is $24,239 for california graphic arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Visual Communications at California College of the Arts
With a ranking of #11, University of San Francisco did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 29 ’s graphic arts degrees in 2020-2021.
USFCA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Visual Communications Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of San Francisco is $31,994 for california graphic arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%.
Read more about Visual Communications at USFCA
Otis College of Art and Design came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s graphic arts degrees to 30 students in 2020-2021.
Otis College of Art and Design not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Visual Communications Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Otis College of Art and Design is $40,153 for California Graphic Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full Otis College of Art and Design Visual Communications Report
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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
- *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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