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

16 Ranked Colleges
483 Degrees Awarded
$16,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor's in North Carolina 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. 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 in North Carolina 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.

Across North Carolina, there were 2,072 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,036 and $26,748 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 483 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,192 and $24,368 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 16 colleges that offer 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.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the design and applied arts program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Design & Applied Arts Schools

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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 in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 16 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts (Income $30-$48k) in North Carolina

#1

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend North Carolina State University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k list. NC State is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 70 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

NC State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in North Carolina” list. The yearly cost to attend NC State is $9,887 for North Carolina Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, 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%.

Full North Carolina State University Design & Applied Arts Report

#2

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Appalachian State University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k. Appalachian State University is a large public school situated in Boone, North Carolina. It awarded 144 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Appalachian State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in North Carolina” list. The yearly cost to attend Appalachian State University is $9,884 for north carolina bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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

#3

Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Elizabeth City State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k. Elizabeth City, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at ECSU, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in North Carolina” ranking. It costs about $1,919 for north carolina bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Elizabeth City State University.

Full ECSU Design & Applied Arts Report

#4

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k. UNC Greensboro is a public institution located in Greensboro, North Carolina. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UNC Greensboro also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in North Carolina” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Greensboro is $10,808 for North Carolina Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full University of North Carolina at Greensboro Design & Applied Arts Report

#5

East Carolina University

Greenville, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend East Carolina University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k. Greenville, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 20 students in 2019-2020.

ECU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in North Carolina” list. The yearly cost to attend East Carolina University is $12,195 for north carolina bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at ECU

#6

Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, North Carolina

Western Carolina University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Cullowhee, North Carolina, this fairly large public school handed out 26 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

WCU also took the #7 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in North Carolina” ranking. It costs about $11,358 for North Carolina Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend WCU.

Full Western Carolina University Design & Applied Arts Report

#7

North Carolina A & T State University

Greensboro, North Carolina

North Carolina A & T State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, this fairly large public school handed out 30 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our north carolina bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k list, NC A&T has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend NC A&T is $9,168 for north carolina bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at NC A&T

#8

Meredith College

Raleigh, North Carolina

Meredith College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. Meredith is a private not-for-profit institution located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Meredith did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in North Carolina” list. The estimated yearly cost for Meredith is $19,130 for north carolina bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Meredith College

#9

Salem College

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Salem College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Salem is a small school located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that handed out 6 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Salem did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in North Carolina” list. The estimated yearly cost for Salem is $15,434 for north carolina bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Salem College

#10

Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte, North Carolina

Queens University of Charlotte came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Queens is located in Charlotte, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

Queens also took the #9 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in North Carolina” ranking. It costs about $21,426 for north carolina bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Queens University of Charlotte.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Queens

#11

Campbell University

Buies Creek, North Carolina

With a ranking of #11, Campbell University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Buies Creek, North Carolina, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 10 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Campbell, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Campbell University is $22,212 for North Carolina Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Campbell University

#12

Barton College

Wilson, North Carolina
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, Barton College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k list. Barton College is a small school located in Wilson, North Carolina that handed out 1 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our north carolina bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k list, Barton College has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in North Carolina” ranking. It costs about $22,424 for north carolina bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Barton College.

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 Barton College

#13

Guilford College

Greensboro, North Carolina
#15 in overall quality

Guilford College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Guilford is located in Greensboro, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

Guilford also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in North Carolina” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for Guilford is $19,014 for north carolina bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Guilford College

#14

William Peace University

Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #14, William Peace University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k list. William Peace University is a small school located in Raleigh, North Carolina that handed out 13 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

WPU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in North Carolina” list. It costs about $20,498 for north carolina bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend William Peace University.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at William Peace University

#15

High Point University

High Point, North Carolina

High Point University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k list. High Point University is located in High Point, North Carolina and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 39 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

High Point also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in North Carolina” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for High Point is $29,052 for north carolina bachelor’s degree design students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at High Point

#16

Living Arts College

Raleigh, North Carolina
#16 in overall quality

Living Arts College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in North Carolina For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. Raleigh, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Living Arts College, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Living Arts College is $24,285 for North Carolina Bachelor’s Degree Design students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Living Arts College

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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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