2023 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region
19
Ranked Colleges
1,077
Degrees Awarded
$24,500
Avg Net Price*
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 the Far Western US Region” ranking - to help you make that decision.
Visual Communications is the 154th most popular major in the country with 5,765 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.
Across the Far Western US region, there were 1,077 visual communications graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking, we looked at 19 colleges that offer 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Visual Communications Schools
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region” list to help you make the college decision.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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 the Far Western US Region
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region.
Top 19 Best Value Colleges for Visual Communications in the Far Western US Region
Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, San Francisco State University landed the #1 spot on the list. SFSU is located in San Francisco, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 80 ’s graphic arts degrees to qualified students.
SFSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for SFSU is $14,459 for far western us region graphic arts students.
The low undergrad 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 San Francisco State University
Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Western Washington University landed the #2 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Bellingham, Washington, and it awarded 50 ’s graphic arts degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at WWU, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for WWU is $17,070 for Far Western US Region Graphic Arts students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Visual Communications at WWU
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Lake Washington Institute of Technology. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region. This small school is located in Kirkland, Washington, and it awarded 10 ’s graphic arts degrees in 2020-2021.
LWTech also made our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #18. The estimated yearly cost for Lake Washington Institute of Technology is $9,157 for Far Western US Region Graphic Arts students.
Full LWTech Visual Communications Report
Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Chico landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Chico, California, this fairly large public school awarded 62 degrees to qualified ’s graphic arts students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Chico State, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Chico State is $16,218 for far western us region graphic arts students.
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
Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Monterey Bay landed the #5 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Seaside, California, and it awarded 31 ’s graphic arts degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our far western us region graphic arts students list, CSUMB has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CSUMB is $13,597 for Far Western US Region Graphic Arts students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Visual Communications at California State University - Monterey Bay
FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #6. FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 69 ’s graphic arts degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at FIDM Los Angeles, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $40,793 for far western us region graphic arts students per year to attend FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles.
Read full report on Visual Communications at FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles
Oregon State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Oregon State University is located in Corvallis, Oregon and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 41 ’s graphic arts degrees to qualified students.
Oregon State also took the #9 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $21,508 for far western us region graphic arts students per year to attend Oregon State.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 Oregon State
University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #8. UW Seattle is a public institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 22 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UW Seattle also made our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for University of Washington - Seattle Campus is $12,017 for Far Western US Region Graphic Arts students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Visual Communications at UW Seattle
Seattle Pacific University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Seattle, Washington, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 18 diplomas to qualified ’s graphic arts students in 2020-2021.
SPU also made our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $26,714 for Far Western US Region Graphic Arts students per year to attend SPU.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Seattle Pacific University Visual Communications Report
Cornish College of the Arts did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Seattle, Washington, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 26 degrees to qualified ’s graphic arts students in 2020-2021.
Cornish College of the Arts not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. It costs about $38,851 for Far Western US Region Graphic Arts students per year to attend Cornish College of the Arts.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Visual Communications at Cornish College of the Arts
University of California - Davis came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. UC Davis is a large public school situated in Davis, California. It awarded 228 ’s graphic arts degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Davis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. It costs about $15,768 for Far Western US Region Graphic Arts students per year to attend University of California - Davis.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 full report on Visual Communications at University of California - Davis
Biola University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in La Mirada, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified ’s graphic arts students in 2020-2021.
Biola not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Biola is $33,269 for Far Western US Region Graphic Arts students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Visual Communications at Biola University
With a ranking of #13, University of California - San Diego did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region list. University of California - San Diego is a large public school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 21 ’s graphic arts degrees in 2020-2021.
UCSD also took the #12 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $15,240 for Far Western US Region Graphic Arts students per year to attend University of California - San Diego.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Visual Communications at UCSD
Otis College of Art and Design ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region list. 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.
In addition to being on our far western us region graphic arts students list, Otis College of Art and Design has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $45,026 for far western us region graphic arts students per year to attend Otis College of Art and Design.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Visual Communications at Otis College of Art and Design
University of Redlands landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. University of Redlands is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Redlands, California. It awarded 25 ’s graphic arts degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our far western us region graphic arts students list, University of Redlands has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Redlands is $26,098 for Far Western US Region Graphic Arts students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Redlands Visual Communications Report
Northwest College of Art & Design landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. This small school is located in Poulsbo, Washington, and it awarded 14 ’s graphic arts degrees in 2020-2021.
NCAD also took the #19 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend NCAD is $13,886 for far western us region graphic arts students.
Read more about Visual Communications at NCAD
University of San Francisco landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. USFCA is a fairly large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 29 ’s graphic arts degrees in 2020-2021.
USFCA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The yearly cost to attend USFCA is $40,053 for Far Western US Region Graphic Arts students.
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
California College of the Arts did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #18. California College of the Arts is a small private not-for-profit school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 25 ’s graphic arts degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at California College of the Arts, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California College of the Arts is $33,122 for Far Western US Region Graphic Arts students.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.
Full California College of the Arts Visual Communications Report
University of Southern California came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Graphic Arts Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 30 degrees to qualified ’s graphic arts students in 2020-2021.
USC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Visual Communications Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. It costs about $32,569 for far western us region graphic arts students per year to attend University of Southern California.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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. 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
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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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