2026 Best Value Industrial Design Schools in North Carolina
[Industrial Design](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/industrial-design/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong industrial design education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for industrial design students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Industrial Design Schools in North Carolina
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
Appalachian State University tops our 2026 list of the best value industrial design schools in North Carolina. Set in the town of Boone, Appalachian State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $7,579 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $25,212. Typical student debt for industrial design graduates is $21,500. Soon after graduation, industrial design degree recipients from Appalachian State University generally make around $34,722. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
North Carolina State University At Raleigh came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value industrial design schools. Located in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,799, compared with $32,847 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,500 to complete the industrial design program here. Industrial Design graduates of North Carolina State University At Raleigh earn a median of $48,940 early in their careers. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 42%.
More Industrial Design Rankings
View All Industrial Design Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 2 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
