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

77 Ranked Colleges
3,166 Degrees Awarded
$11,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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 Great Lakes region, there were 5,582 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,377 and $26,458 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,166 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 77 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the design and applied arts program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region 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) in the Great Lakes Region

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 35 students in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $6,860 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, 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 95%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at University of Wisconsin - Madison

#2

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana

Out of the 77 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Notre Dame landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 40 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend University of Notre Dame is $15,609 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The 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 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full University of Notre Dame Design & Applied Arts Report

#3

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 42 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $5,879 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Purdue.

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%. 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 Design & Applied Arts at Purdue

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 108 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also took the #2 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $8,464 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, 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 94%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at UIUC

#5

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Indiana University - Bloomington. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. IU Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 79 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also took the #11 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Bloomington is $6,192 for Great Lakes Region 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 91%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full IU Bloomington Design & Applied Arts Report

#6

Franklin University

Columbus, Ohio

With a ranking of #6, Franklin University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Franklin University is a medium-sized school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 12 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Franklin University is $11,992 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Franklin University

With a ranking of #7, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 43 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $10,037 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, 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 94%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Ohio State

#8

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stout ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UW - Stout is a medium-sized school located in Menomonie, Wisconsin that handed out 154 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Stout not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Stout is $10,778 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.8% 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%.

Full UW - Stout Design & Applied Arts Report

#9

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. UW - Stevens Point is located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 25 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

UW - Stevens Point also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend UW - Stevens Point is $11,433 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. IUPUI is a large public school situated in Indianapolis, Indiana. It awarded 18 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend IUPUI is $6,315 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at IUPUI

#11

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is a public institution located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - Green Bay is $11,641 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full UW - Green Bay Design & Applied Arts Report

#12

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, Michigan

Ferris State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Big Rapids, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 73 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Ferris State University is $10,521 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Ferris Design & Applied Arts Report

#13

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Ball State is located in Muncie, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 34 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $10,487 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Ball State.

Full Ball State University Design & Applied Arts Report

#14

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Oakland University is located in Rochester Hills, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 58 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Oakland is $7,751 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Oakland University

University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Illinois at Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 68 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

UIC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $11,185 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Illinois at Chicago.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at UIC

#16

Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Purdue University Fort Wayne did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. PFW is a medium-sized public school situated in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It awarded 11 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $7,686 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend PFW.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Purdue University Fort Wayne

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is a public institution located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 205 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UC also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for UC is $18,106 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at UC

#18

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan

With a ranking of #18, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Michigan State University is a large school located in East Lansing, Michigan that handed out 86 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan State also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #9. It costs about $15,197 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Michigan State University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Michigan State Design & Applied Arts Report

#19

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan

With a ranking of #19, Central Michigan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 57 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Central Michigan is $12,127 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Central Michigan

#20

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

Illinois State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Normal, Illinois, this large public school awarded 30 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k list, Illinois State has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Illinois State University is $14,999 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Illinois State University

#21

Saginaw Valley State University

University Center, Michigan

Saginaw Valley State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Saginaw Valley State University is located in University Center, Michigan and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 36 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Saginaw Valley State University is $11,734 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Saginaw Valley State University

Miami University - Oxford landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Oxford, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 69 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

Miami University - Oxford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Miami University - Oxford is $17,692 for great lakes region 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 88%.

Full Miami University - Oxford Design & Applied Arts Report

Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. SIUC is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 7 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend SIUC is $14,306 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at SIUC

Kent State University at Kent did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #24. Kent State University at Kent is a public institution located in Kent, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 234 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Kent State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $15,374 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Kent State University at Kent.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Kent State University at Kent

#25

Taylor University

Upland, Indiana
#10 in overall quality

Taylor University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Taylor U is a small school located in Upland, Indiana that handed out 16 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Taylor U also took the #10 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Taylor U is $21,171 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 Taylor U 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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