2026 Best Value Other Design & Applied Arts Schools in Pennsylvania
[Other Design & Applied Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/design-and-applied-arts-other/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong other design & applied arts education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for other design & applied arts students.
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Featured Other 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 Other Design & Applied Arts Schools in Pennsylvania
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in other design & applied arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Other Design & Applied Arts Schools
For return on investment in other design & applied arts, no school beat Thomas Jefferson University this year. Set in the city of Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $47,355. Other Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Other Design & Applied Arts graduates of Thomas Jefferson University earn a median of $36,433 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 81%.
University Of Pennsylvania is a great value for students pursuing a degree in other design & applied arts, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Pennsylvania is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,686. Typical student debt for other design & applied arts graduates is $16,155. Soon after graduation, other design & applied arts degree recipients from University Of Pennsylvania generally make around $99,682. That is a strong return on a $16,155 median debt. The acceptance rate is 5%.
Students looking for strong value in other design & applied arts will find it at Carnegie Mellon University, which ranked #3. Carnegie Mellon University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pittsburgh. Students from in state pay about $65,636 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $24,500 to complete the other design & applied arts program here. Other Design & Applied Arts graduates of Carnegie Mellon University earn a median of $89,327 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,500 median debt. Carnegie Mellon University admits about 12% of applicants.
Pennsylvania College Of Art And Design came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value other design & applied arts schools. Located in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania College Of Art And Design is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $32,150 in tuition and fees. Other Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, other design & applied arts degree recipients from Pennsylvania College Of Art And Design generally make around $25,830. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 99%.
Pennsylvania State University Main Campus came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value other design & applied arts schools. Located in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $20,644, while out-of-state students pay about $41,790. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $63,435. The acceptance rate is 61%.
Drexel University landed the #6 spot for other design & applied arts value this year. Located in the city of Philadelphia, Drexel University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $62,412. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the other design & applied arts program here. Other Design & Applied Arts graduates of Drexel University earn a median of $38,154 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
More Other Design & Applied Arts Rankings
View All Other Design & Applied Arts Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
