2026 Best Value Industrial Design Schools in the Southwest Region
[Industrial Design](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/industrial-design/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for industrial design students.
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2026 Best Value Industrial Design Schools in the Southwest Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in industrial design, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Industrial Design Schools
Leading the list is Arizona State University, our #1 best value for industrial design in the Southwest Region. Located in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,223, compared with $33,139 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete the industrial design program here. Early-career industrial design graduates make about $41,589. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Houston one of the best values for industrial design. Located in the city of Houston, University Of Houston is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,717 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,547. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the industrial design program here. Soon after graduation, industrial design degree recipients from University Of Houston generally make around $47,461. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. University Of Houston admits about 74% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Advancing Technology one of the best values for industrial design. Located in the city of Tempe, University Of Advancing Technology is a small private for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $18,800. Industrial Design graduates carry a median of $27,895 in student loans. Soon after graduation, industrial design degree recipients from University Of Advancing Technology generally make around $30,640. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Advancing Technology admits about 98% of applicants.
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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 · 5 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.
