2026 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Iowa
[Design & Applied Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong design & applied arts education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 25 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value design & applied arts schools.
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2026 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in Iowa
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the design & applied arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools
Leading the list is Western Iowa Tech Community College, our #1 best value for design & applied arts in Iowa. Set in the city of Sioux City, Western Iowa Tech Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,186, while out-of-state students pay about $5,330. Students borrow a median of $11,886 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Western Iowa Tech Community College earn a median of $35,742 early in their careers. 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 Kirkwood Community College, which ranked #2. Kirkwood Community College is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Rapids. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,176, with out-of-state students paying around $8,220. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $10,519 in student loans. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $32,116. That is a strong return on a $10,519 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes Iowa Central Community College one of the best values for design & applied arts. Iowa Central Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Fort Dodge. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,496, compared with $7,788 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $16,135. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $39,624. 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 University Of Northern Iowa, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,936, while out-of-state students pay about $21,712. Students borrow a median of $25,100 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $38,637. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Northern Iowa admits about 93% of applicants.
Hawkeye Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in design & applied arts, landing the #5 spot this year. Hawkeye Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Waterloo. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,525, while out-of-state students pay about $6,612. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $17,001 in student loans. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Hawkeye Community College earn a median of $41,902 early in their careers. Set against $17,001 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Des Moines Area Community College landed the #6 spot for design & applied arts value this year. Located in the suburb of Ankeny, Des Moines Area Community College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,790, with out-of-state students paying around $6,690. Typical student debt for design & applied arts graduates is $13,625. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Des Moines Area Community College earn a median of $25,265 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,625 median debt.
Iowa State University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value design & applied arts schools. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,787, while out-of-state students pay about $28,881. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $36,634. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.
Upper Iowa University earned the #8 position for value in design & applied arts this year. Upper Iowa University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Fayette. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $19,475. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $39,780 in student loans. Soon after graduation, design & applied arts degree recipients from Upper Iowa University generally make around $31,122. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 96%.
Drake University placed #9 among the best values for design & applied arts. Located in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $51,960 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $22,273 to complete the design & applied arts program here. Design & Applied Arts graduates of Drake University earn a median of $56,228 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,273 median debt. The acceptance rate is 64%.
More Design & Applied Arts Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 25 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
