2027 Best Value Industrial Design Schools in Ohio
[Industrial Design](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/industrial-design/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for industrial design students.
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2027 Best Value Industrial Design Schools in Ohio
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the industrial design degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Industrial Design Schools
For return on investment in industrial design, no school beat Ohio State University Main Campus this year. Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Columbus. In-state tuition and fees average $13,244, compared with $40,022 for out-of-state students. Industrial Design graduates carry a median of $25,100 in student loans. Industrial Design graduates of Ohio State University Main Campus earn a median of $45,176 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,100 median debt. Ohio State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Cedarville University one of the best values for industrial design. Cedarville University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Cedarville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $37,150. Industrial Design graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Industrial Design graduates of Cedarville University earn a median of $35,768 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 65%.
Students looking for strong value in industrial design will find it at Cleveland Institute Of Art, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Cleveland, Cleveland Institute Of Art is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $48,700. Industrial Design graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, industrial design degree recipients from Cleveland Institute Of Art generally make around $23,358. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Cleveland Institute Of Art admits about 61% of applicants.
Columbus College Of Art And Design came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value industrial design schools. Columbus College Of Art And Design is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Columbus. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $40,825. Typical student debt for industrial design graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, industrial design degree recipients from Columbus College Of Art And Design generally make around $27,970. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
