2026 Best Value Commercial & Advertising Art Schools in North Carolina
[Commercial & Advertising Art](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/commercial-and-advertising-art/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 18 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for commercial & advertising art students.
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2026 Best Value Commercial & Advertising Art Schools in North Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the commercial & advertising art degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Commercial & Advertising Art Schools
Leading the list is Central Piedmont Community College, our #1 best value for commercial & advertising art in North Carolina. Set in the city of Charlotte, Central Piedmont Community College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,792, compared with $8,936 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $11,861 to complete the commercial & advertising art program here. Soon after graduation, commercial & advertising art degree recipients from Central Piedmont Community College generally make around $30,979. That is a strong return on a $11,861 median debt.
Wilkes Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value commercial & advertising art schools. Set in the town of Wilkesboro, Wilkes Community College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,572, with out-of-state students paying around $8,716. Commercial & Advertising Art graduates carry a median of $9,125 in student loans. Soon after graduation, commercial & advertising art degree recipients from Wilkes Community College generally make around $36,341. Set against $9,125 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Fayetteville Technical Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in commercial & advertising art, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Fayetteville, Fayetteville Technical Community College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,628, while out-of-state students pay about $8,772. Commercial & Advertising Art graduates carry a median of $16,909 in student loans. Commercial & Advertising Art graduates of Fayetteville Technical Community College earn a median of $40,584 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,909 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Rowan Cabarrus Community College earned it the #4 place for commercial & advertising art. Located in the suburb of Salisbury, Rowan Cabarrus Community College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,064, compared with $6,672 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for commercial & advertising art graduates is $10,867. Commercial & Advertising Art graduates of Rowan Cabarrus Community College earn a median of $34,351 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in commercial & advertising art will find it at Lenoir Community College, which ranked #5. Located in the town of Kinston, Lenoir Community College is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $2,578, compared with $8,822 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for commercial & advertising art graduates is $9,984. Early-career commercial & advertising art graduates make about $38,736. That is a strong return on a $9,984 median debt.
Mitchell Community College came in at #6 for value in commercial & advertising art this year. Located in the town of Statesville, Mitchell Community College is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $2,651 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,795. Typical student debt for commercial & advertising art graduates is $6,313. Soon after graduation, commercial & advertising art degree recipients from Mitchell Community College generally make around $40,450. Set against $6,313 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Isothermal Community College came in at #7 for value in commercial & advertising art this year. Set in the town of Spindale, Isothermal Community College is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,030, with out-of-state students paying around $6,638. Typical student debt for commercial & advertising art graduates is $6,625. Early-career commercial & advertising art graduates make about $47,389. That is a strong return on a $6,625 median debt.
Wake Technical Community College came in at #8 for value in commercial & advertising art this year. Located in the suburb of Raleigh, Wake Technical Community College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,254, while out-of-state students pay about $6,862. Students borrow a median of $13,414 to complete the commercial & advertising art program here. Commercial & Advertising Art graduates of Wake Technical Community College earn a median of $38,673 early in their careers. Set against $13,414 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Randolph Community College came in at #9 for value in commercial & advertising art this year. Located in the town of Asheboro, Randolph Community College is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $2,416 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,176. Soon after graduation, commercial & advertising art degree recipients from Randolph Community College generally make around $32,198.
Catawba Valley Community College landed the #10 spot for commercial & advertising art value this year. Located in the city of Hickory, Catawba Valley Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,427, while out-of-state students pay about $7,803. Typical student debt for commercial & advertising art graduates is $9,842. Soon after graduation, commercial & advertising art degree recipients from Catawba Valley Community College generally make around $38,219. Set against $9,842 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Guilford Technical Community College came in at #11 for value in commercial & advertising art this year. Guilford Technical Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Jamestown. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,320, with out-of-state students paying around $7,696. Commercial & Advertising Art graduates carry a median of $15,250 in student loans. Early-career commercial & advertising art graduates make about $24,827. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Alamance Community College came in at #12 for value in commercial & advertising art this year. Set in the suburb of Graham, Alamance Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,592, compared with $8,736 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $6,625 to complete the commercial & advertising art program here. Early-career commercial & advertising art graduates make about $37,585. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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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 · 18 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.
