2026 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in South Carolina
[Design & Applied Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 19 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for design & applied arts students.
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Featured Design & Applied Arts Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
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2026 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in South Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in design & applied arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools
Leading the list is Trident Technical College, our #1 best value for design & applied arts in South Carolina. Trident Technical College is a very large public school located in the city of Charleston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,546, while out-of-state students pay about $8,620. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $18,116. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Trident Technical College earn a median of $50,166 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $18,116 median debt.
Horry Georgetown Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Conway, Horry Georgetown Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,518, compared with $10,978 for out-of-state students. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $17,500 in student loans. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $22,024. That is a strong return on a $17,500 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes Tri County Technical College one of the best values for design & applied arts. Set in the suburb of Pendleton, Tri County Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,448, while out-of-state students pay about $12,007. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $15,787. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $43,438. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in design & applied arts will find it at Spartanburg Community College, which ranked #4. Spartanburg Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Spartanburg. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,071, with out-of-state students paying around $10,135. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $10,148. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Spartanburg Community College earn a median of $41,598 early in their careers. Set against $10,148 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in design & applied arts will find it at Piedmont Technical College, which ranked #5. Set in the town of Greenwood, Piedmont Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,775, with out-of-state students paying around $6,923. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $17,652. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $36,577. Set against $17,652 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Coastal Carolina University came in at #6 for value in design & applied arts this year. Located in the city of Conway, Coastal Carolina University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,640, with out-of-state students paying around $29,628. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Coastal Carolina University earn a median of $26,076 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Coastal Carolina University admits about 75% of applicants.
Winthrop University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value design & applied arts schools. Set in the city of Rock Hill, Winthrop University is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,678, compared with $28,676 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $29,917 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $40,119. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Winthrop University admits about 79% of applicants.
Charleston Southern University placed #8 among the best values for design & applied arts. Set in the city of Charleston, Charleston Southern University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $32,520. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $46,288. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Charleston Southern University admits about 96% of applicants.
Clemson University ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value design & applied arts schools. Set in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,554 in tuition and fees, compared with $40,866 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $46,689. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 38%.
Anderson University Sc placed #10 among the best values for design & applied arts. Anderson University Sc is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Anderson. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $34,970. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Anderson University Sc generally make around $34,040. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
Furman University came in at #11 for value in design & applied arts this year. Located in the suburb of Greenville, Furman University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $59,770. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $23,764. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $36,520. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 43% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 19 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
