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2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid

16 Ranked Colleges
678 Degrees Awarded
$27,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor's in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid” 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 Massachusetts, there were 920 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,353 and $27,205 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 678 design and applied arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,887 and $24,387 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 16 colleges that offer a degree in design and applied arts. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great design and applied arts programs and cost less that 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Design & Applied Arts Schools

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 Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid”.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid.

Top 16 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Design & Applied Arts in Massachusetts (With Aid)

#7 in overall quality

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Massachusetts - Lowell landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Massachusetts - Lowell is a fairly large school located in Lowell, Massachusetts that handed out 26 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

UMass Lowell not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Massachusetts - Lowell is $19,119 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Design students with aid.

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%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at University of Massachusetts - Lowell

#2

Salem State University

Salem, Massachusetts
#12 in overall quality

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Salem State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Salem State is a medium-sized school located in Salem, Massachusetts that handed out 18 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Salem State also took the #12 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Salem State is $18,399 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students with aid.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Salem State

#3

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

North Dartmouth, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid. This medium-sized school is located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, and it awarded 42 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students with aid list, UMass Dartmouth has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $18,503 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Design students with aid per year to attend UMass Dartmouth.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at UMass Dartmouth

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Massachusetts College of Art and Design. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid. This small school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 154 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Massachusetts College of Art and Design did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Massachusetts College of Art and Design is $24,043 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Design students with aid.

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 full report on Design & Applied Arts at Massachusetts College of Art and Design

#5

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Boston University landed the #5 spot on the list. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 27 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students with aid list, Boston U has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Boston University is $30,259 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students with aid.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Boston U Design & Applied Arts Report

#6

Framingham State University

Framingham, Massachusetts
#14 in overall quality

Framingham State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #6. Framingham State University is a small school located in Framingham, Massachusetts that handed out 1 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Framingham State, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $20,001 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Design students with aid per year to attend Framingham State University.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Framingham State University

#7

Lasell University

Newton, Massachusetts

Lasell University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Lasell University is a small school located in Newton, Massachusetts that handed out 36 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Lasell also took the #13 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lasell is $27,428 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Design students with aid.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Lasell

#8

Stonehill College

Easton, Massachusetts

Stonehill College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Easton, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 11 degrees to qualified bachelors’s design students in 2019-2020.

Stonehill also took the #5 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stonehill College is $34,658 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Design students with aid.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Stonehill Design & Applied Arts Report

#9

Wentworth Institute of Technology

Boston, Massachusetts

Wentworth Institute of Technology ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Wentworth Institute of Technology is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 59 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

WIT not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend WIT is $36,113 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Design students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Wentworth Institute of Technology

#10

Emmanuel College Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts

Emmanuel College Massachusetts landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Emmanuel Boston is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

Emmanuel Boston also took the #8 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $28,314 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students with aid per year to attend Emmanuel Boston.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Emmanuel Boston

#11

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts

Northeastern University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s design degrees to 49 students in 2019-2020.

Northeastern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $31,093 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Design students with aid per year to attend Northeastern.

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

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Northeastern

#12

Endicott College

Beverly, Massachusetts

Endicott College landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Endicott is located in Beverly, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 35 bachelors’s design degrees to qualified students.

Endicott did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Endicott College is $35,642 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%.

Read more about Design & Applied Arts at Endicott College

#13

Suffolk University

Boston, Massachusetts

Suffolk University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #13. Suffolk University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 29 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students with aid list, Suffolk has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Suffolk is $30,701 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Design students with aid.

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%.

Full Suffolk University Design & Applied Arts Report

#14

Lesley University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Lesley University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Lesley University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It awarded 67 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Lesley also made our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $33,644 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Design students with aid per year to attend Lesley University.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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 Lesley University

#15

Curry College

Milton, Massachusetts

Curry College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. This small school is located in Milton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

Curry also took the #15 spot in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Curry College is $27,739 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students with aid.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Curry

#16

Montserrat College of Art

Beverly, Massachusetts

Montserrat College of Art came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Design Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Montserrat College of Art is a small school located in Beverly, Massachusetts that handed out 16 bachelors’s design degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree design students with aid list, Montserrat College of Art has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Design & Applied Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $31,313 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Design students with aid per year to attend Montserrat College of Art.

Read full report on Design & Applied Arts at Montserrat College of Art

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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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