2026 Best Value Other Design & Applied Arts Schools in the The Plains States Region
[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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes 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 the The Plains States Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the other design & applied arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Other Design & Applied Arts Schools
For return on investment in other design & applied arts, no school beat University Of Minnesota Twin Cities this year. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public school located in the city of Minneapolis. In-state tuition and fees average $17,214, while out-of-state students pay about $38,362. Typical student debt for other design & applied arts graduates is $24,000. Soon after graduation, other design & applied arts degree recipients from University Of Minnesota Twin Cities generally make around $42,462. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Washington University In St Louis earned it the #2 place for other design & applied arts. Located in the suburb of St. Louis, Washington University In St Louis is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,790. Students borrow a median of $19,089 to complete the other design & applied arts program here. Soon after graduation, other design & applied arts degree recipients from Washington University In St Louis generally make around $33,615. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 12% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Minneapolis College Of Art And Design one of the best values for other design & applied arts. Located in the city of Minneapolis, Minneapolis College Of Art And Design is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $45,484 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the other design & applied arts program here. Soon after graduation, other design & applied arts degree recipients from Minneapolis College Of Art And Design generally make around $23,687. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Minneapolis College Of Art And Design admits about 48% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Drake University one of the best values for other design & applied arts. Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Des Moines. Students from in state pay about $51,960 in tuition and fees. Other Design & Applied Arts graduates carry a median of $22,273 in student loans. Early-career other design & applied arts graduates make about $56,228. Set against $22,273 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 64%.
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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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
