2026 Best Value Interior Design Schools in Ohio
[Interior Design](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/interior-design/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for interior design students.
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2026 Best Value Interior Design Schools in Ohio
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the interior design degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Interior Design Schools
Leading the list is Cuyahoga Community College District, our #1 best value for interior design in Ohio. Located in the city of Cleveland, Cuyahoga Community College District is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $3,249, compared with $7,249 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $11,795 to complete the interior design program here. Interior Design graduates of Cuyahoga Community College District earn a median of $22,517 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,795 median debt.
Sinclair Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value interior design schools. Located in the city of Dayton, Sinclair Community College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $3,675, while out-of-state students pay about $8,556. Students borrow a median of $11,000 to complete the interior design program here. Early-career interior design graduates make about $24,490. That is a strong return on a $11,000 median debt.
Ohio State University Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in interior design, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,244, compared with $40,022 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,100 to complete the interior design program here. Early-career interior design graduates make about $45,176. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Ohio State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Kent State University At Kent earned it the #4 place for interior design. Located in the suburb of Kent, Kent State University At Kent is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,220, with out-of-state students paying around $21,575. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the interior design program here. Early-career interior design graduates make about $36,351. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value interior design schools. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Cincinnati. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,363, compared with $28,697 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,851 to complete the interior design program here. Soon after graduation, interior design degree recipients from University Of Cincinnati Main Campus generally make around $52,526. Set against $25,851 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus admits about 85% of applicants.
Columbus College Of Art And Design earned the #6 position for value in interior design this year. Columbus College Of Art And Design is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Columbus. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $40,825. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the interior design program here. Soon after graduation, interior design degree recipients from Columbus College Of Art And Design generally make around $27,970. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
Cleveland Institute Of Art placed #7 among the best values for interior design. Cleveland Institute Of Art is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cleveland. Students from in state pay about $48,700 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for interior design graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, interior design degree recipients from Cleveland Institute Of Art generally make around $23,358. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 61%.
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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 6 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.
