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2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

47 Ranked Colleges
1,383 Degrees Awarded
$11,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States 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 Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Design & Applied Arts is the 34th most popular major in the country with 36,854 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, design and applied arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $29,542 and had an average of $27,114 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 2,352 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,931 and $22,419 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,383 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 47 colleges that offered a degree in design and applied arts. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent design and applied arts 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 design and applied arts program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The design school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

#1

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

Out of the 47 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Washington University in St Louis landed the #1 spot on the list. WUSTL is a fairly large school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 53 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

WUSTL also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for Washington University in St Louis is $5,273 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Washington University in St Louis Design & Applied Arts Report

#2

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 132 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $7,266 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.

Full UMN Twin Cities Design & Applied Arts Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Iowa State University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Ames, Iowa, this large public school handed out 227 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

Iowa State also took the #2 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa State is $10,054 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Iowa State University

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Duluth, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 50 students in 2019-2020.

UMN Duluth also took the #11 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $7,443 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMN Duluth.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at UMN Duluth

#5

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

Out of the 47 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Northern Iowa landed the #5 spot on the list. Cedar Falls, Iowa is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 36 students in 2019-2020.

UNI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Northern Iowa is $10,757 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at University of Northern Iowa

North Dakota State University - Main Campus came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Fargo, North Dakota, this fairly large public school handed out 14 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

North Dakota State University also took the #5 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $11,524 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at North Dakota State University

#6 in overall quality

University of Nebraska - Lincoln ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Lincoln, Nebraska is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 31 students in 2019-2020.

UNL not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $12,216 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Nebraska - Lincoln Design & Applied Arts Report

#8

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota
#15 in overall quality

Saint Cloud State University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Saint Cloud State University is a fairly large public school situated in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. It awarded 21 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Cloud State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend St. Cloud State University is $10,688 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at St. Cloud State University

#9

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, Minnesota

With a ranking of #9, Bemidji State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Bemidji State University is located in Bemidji, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k list, Bemidji State University has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bemidji State University is $10,632 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Bemidji State University Design & Applied Arts Report

With a ranking of #10, Northwest Missouri State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Maryville, Missouri, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Northwest Missouri State University is $9,990 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Northwest Missouri State University

Minnesota State University - Moorhead landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Moorhead, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 26 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k list, MSU Moorhead has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State University - Moorhead is $12,484 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 Design & Applied Arts at MSU Moorhead

#12

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Kansas State University is a public institution located in Manhattan, Kansas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

K -State also took the #10 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend K -State is $14,232 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Kansas State University

#13

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota

University of North Dakota came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Grand Forks, North Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

UND did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UND is $11,092 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low 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 UND Design & Applied Arts Report

#14

University of Central Missouri

Warrensburg, Missouri

University of Central Missouri came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Central Missouri is a medium-sized school located in Warrensburg, Missouri that handed out 39 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

UCM also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #25. The estimated yearly cost for University of Central Missouri is $10,608 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full University of Central Missouri Design & Applied Arts Report

#15

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota

With a ranking of #15, South Dakota State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Brookings, South Dakota, this fairly large public school awarded 20 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k list, South Dakota State has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $15,285 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend South Dakota State.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at South Dakota State University

Missouri State University - Springfield landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Missouri State is located in Springfield, Missouri and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 34 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

Missouri State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri State University - Springfield is $12,527 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Missouri State University - Springfield Design & Applied Arts Report

#17

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, Missouri
#22 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, Lindenwood University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Lindenwood University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Charles, Missouri. It awarded 8 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Lindenwood University also took the #22 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $14,388 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Lindenwood University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Lindenwood University Design & Applied Arts Report

#18

Wichita State University

Wichita, Kansas

Wichita State University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Wichita, Kansas, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,642 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Wichita State University.

Full Wichita State University Design & Applied Arts Report

#19

Northern State University

Aberdeen, South Dakota
#24 in overall quality

Northern State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Aberdeen, South Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

NSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $13,133 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend NSU.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Northern State University

#20

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Lawrence, Kansas, this large public school awarded 78 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k list, KU has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend KU is $14,387 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at KU

#21

Wayne State College

Wayne, Nebraska

With a ranking of #21, Wayne State College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. WSC is a public institution located in Wayne, Nebraska. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for WSC is $10,333 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at WSC

#22

Missouri Western State University

Saint Joseph, Missouri

Missouri Western State University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Saint Joseph, Missouri, this small public school handed out 7 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Missouri Western is $8,762 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Missouri Western State University

#23

Pittsburg State University

Pittsburg, Kansas

Pittsburg State University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Pittsburg, Kansas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,638 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Pittsburg State University.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Pittsburg State University

#24

Park University

Parkville, Missouri

Park University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Park University is located in Parkville, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Park University is $13,622 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Park University Design & Applied Arts Report

#25

Concordia University, Saint Paul

Saint Paul, Minnesota

Concordia University, Saint Paul landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Concordia University, Saint Paul is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Concordia University, Saint Paul is $13,423 for plains states region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Concordia University, Saint Paul Design & Applied Arts 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

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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