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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $30-$48k)

421 Ranked Colleges
19,683 Degrees Awarded
$8,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 36,854 people earned their degree in design and applied arts, making the major the 34th most popular in the United States. 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.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 19,683 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 421 colleges that offer a degree in design and applied arts. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality design and applied arts programs that also have a lower cost than 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.

More Ways to Rank Design & Applied Arts Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $30-$48k)

#1

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Washington University in St Louis. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Washington University in St Louis is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 53 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

WUSTL also took the #3 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend WUSTL is $6,248 for Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 Washington University in St Louis

#2

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Gainesville, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 54 students in 2019-2020.

UF not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UF is $4,069 for Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 2.0% 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 Design & Applied Arts at UF

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $6,860 for bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UW - Madison Design & Applied Arts Report

#4

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana

Out of the 421 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Notre Dame landed the #4 spot on the list. University of Notre Dame is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Notre Dame, Indiana. It awarded 40 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Notre Dame is $15,609 for Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Notre Dame

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school awarded 44 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k list, UW Seattle has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $7,467 for Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of Washington - Seattle Campus Design & Applied Arts Report

#6

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts

Northeastern University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 49 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #14. It costs about $12,823 for Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Northeastern.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 Northeastern Design & Applied Arts Report

#7

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 42 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, Purdue is in the top on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $5,879 for bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Design & Applied Arts Report

With a ranking of #8, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. UIUC is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 108 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $8,464 for bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 UIUC

#9

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Florida State is a large school located in Tallahassee, Florida that handed out 37 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Florida State excels when it comes to design quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. It costs about $6,816 for Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Florida State University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Florida State University Design & Applied Arts Report

#10

Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, New York

Fashion Institute of Technology came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. FIT SUNY is located in New York, New York and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 560 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

FIT SUNY also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for FIT SUNY is $9,399 for bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Fashion Institute of Technology

#11

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. IU Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 79 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, IU Bloomington is also in the top of our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend IU Bloomington is $6,192 for Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Indiana University - Bloomington

#12

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 37 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Carnegie Mellon, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Carnegie Mellon is $13,782 for bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Carnegie Mellon

#13

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 132 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, UMN Twin Cities is in the top on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Twin Cities is $8,418 for bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 UMN Twin Cities Design & Applied Arts Report

#14

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

University of California - Los Angeles landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school handed out 44 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k list, UCLA has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCLA is $9,254 for bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at UCLA

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. Georgia Tech is a large school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 41 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Georgia Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is $11,454 for Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus

#16

Queens College

Queens, New York

Queens College landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. QC is a fairly large public school situated in Queens, New York. It awarded 102 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $3,056 for bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend QC.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 QC Design & Applied Arts Report

California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school awarded 130 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, CSULB is also in the top of our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $7,595 for Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend CSULB.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low 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%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at CSULB

#18

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #18, North Carolina State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Raleigh, North Carolina, and it awarded 70 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NC State, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $9,887 for Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend NC State.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The 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 more about Design & Applied Arts at North Carolina State University

#19

University of North Texas

Denton, Texas

University of North Texas ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of North Texas is a public institution located in Denton, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 110 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,082 for Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of North Texas.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at UNT

#20

Franklin University

Columbus, Ohio

Franklin University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Franklin University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 12 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,992 for Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Franklin University.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Franklin University

California State University - Fresno ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Fresno, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 52 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $3,731 for bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Fresno State.

The low student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at California State University - Fresno

With a ranking of #22, New York City College of Technology did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. New York City College of Technology is a fairly large school located in Brooklyn, New York that handed out 129 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $4,390 for Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend New York City College of Technology.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at New York City College of Technology

#23

Lehman College

Bronx, New York

Lehman College landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Lehman is located in Bronx, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Lehman College is $3,289 for bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Lehman College

#24

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Boston U is a large school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 27 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k list, Boston U has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Boston University is $13,256 for Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Boston University

#25

Farmingdale State College

Farmingdale, New York

Farmingdale State College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. SUNY College of Technology at Farmingdale is a public institution located in Farmingdale, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 45 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for SUNY College of Technology at Farmingdale is $5,539 for Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Farmingdale State College

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#30

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, Wisconsin
#31

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia
#33

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina
#34

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
#37

Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City, North Carolina
#38

Washington State University

Pullman, Washington
#40

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, Kentucky
#41

Western Washington University

Bellingham, Washington
#45

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas
#47

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#48

Texas Woman's University

Denton, Texas
#49

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota
#50

University of Houston

Houston, Texas

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA
52 Texas State University San Marcos, TX
53 San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA
54 University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Green Bay, WI
55 North Dakota State University - Main Campus Fargo, ND
56 University of Delaware Newark, DE
57 Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI
58 University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC
59 Bellevue College Bellevue, WA
60 Ball State University Muncie, IN
61 Oakland University Rochester Hills, MI
62 University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
63 West Virginia University Morgantown, WV
64 Seminole State College of Florida Sanford, FL

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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