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2026 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in North Dakota

[Design & Applied Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value design & applied arts schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in North Dakota

2026 Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools in North Dakota

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in design & applied arts, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Design & Applied Arts Schools

1

Bismarck State College
Bismarck, ND

$5,247 In-State Tuition & Fees

$13,340 Avg Student Debt

$54,277 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is Bismarck State College, our #1 best value for design & applied arts in North Dakota. Located in the city of Bismarck, Bismarck State College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,247, with out-of-state students paying around $7,331. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $13,340 in student loans. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $61,364. That is a strong return on a $13,340 median debt.

2

North Dakota State University Main Campus
Fargo, ND

$10,910 In-State Tuition & Fees

$27,000 Avg Student Debt

$62,203 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in design & applied arts will find it at North Dakota State University Main Campus, which ranked #2. North Dakota State University Main Campus is a large public school located in the city of Fargo. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,910, with out-of-state students paying around $15,564. Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career design & applied arts graduates make about $41,846. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. North Dakota State University Main Campus admits about 95% of applicants.

View All Design & Applied Arts Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.