Best value Design and Digital Art programs
Ranked by one number: median federal loan debt at completion, divided by median earnings four years later. Lower is better. Nothing else is weighted, and no school can pay to appear here.
Data last updated
How this ranking is produced
- The only input is median debt ÷ median earnings, both from the College Scorecard. There is no reputation score, no survey, and no editorial judgement.
- Programs are ranked within credential level. A certificate with small debt would otherwise outrank every bachelor’s degree, which is not a comparison anyone is actually making.
- A program appears only if it reports both figures. Programs the government suppresses for small class sizes are absent, not penalised.
- A credential tier is shown only where at least five programs qualify, so a ranking never rests on two or three data points.
- Debt covers federal loans only. Private borrowing is invisible here, so a program’s real cost may be higher than its position suggests.
- Earnings count only students who completed. Programs with high dropout rates look better on this measure than they deserve to.
Associate degree
The 10 lowest debt-to-earnings ratios of 55 associate degree programs reporting both figures.
| # | Institution | Fieldand delivery | at completion | 4 yrs after | Median federal loan debt at completion, divided by median earnings four years later. It answers a single question: how much of one year’s income do you owe on the day you finish?Below 50% is generally considered manageable. Above 100% means graduates owe more than they earn in a year, and repayment on a standard ten-year plan starts to consume a serious share of income.Debt covers federal loans only, so real ratios are often worse. Both figures are medians — half of graduates fall on the wrong side of each. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Modern College of DesignOH · Private for-profit | Commercial and Advertising ArtAssociate degree · Fully online | $5,500 | $39,430 | 14% |
| 2 | Salt Lake Community CollegeUT · Public | Prepress/Desktop Publishing and Digital Imaging DesignAssociate degree · HybridWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special EffectsGraphic Communications, GeneralThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $8,000 | $50,857 | 16% |
| 3 | Cuyahoga Community College DistrictOH · Public | Graphic DesignAssociate degree · HybridWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Design and Visual Communications, GeneralInterior DesignCommercial PhotographyGame and Interactive Media DesignIllustrationThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $6,000 | $30,936 | 19% |
| 4 | Johnson County Community CollegeKS · Public | Interior DesignAssociate degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Graphic DesignGame and Interactive Media DesignFashion/Apparel DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $9,341 | $48,084 | 19% |
| 5 | Monroe Community CollegeNY · Public | Graphic DesignAssociate degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Commercial and Advertising ArtInterior DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $8,000 | $39,328 | 20% |
| 6 | Metropolitan Community College AreaNE · Public | Commercial and Advertising ArtAssociate degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Commercial PhotographyInterior DesignFashion/Apparel DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $8,831 | $42,343 | 21% |
| 7 | The New SchoolNY · Private nonprofit | Fashion/Apparel DesignAssociate degree · On campusOffers: Communication Design (Parsons) (BFA) · Illustration (Parsons) (BFA) · Design and Technology (Parsons) (BFA) · Integrated Design (Parsons) (BFA) · Photography (Parsons) (BFA)What this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Industrial and Product DesignInterior DesignIllustrationDesign and Applied Arts, OtherGraphic DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $14,750 | $66,896 | 22% |
| 8 | College of DuPageIL · Public | Design and Visual Communications, GeneralAssociate degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Interior DesignCommercial PhotographyThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $11,750 | $50,264 | 23% |
| 9 | Suffolk County Community CollegeNY · Public | Graphic DesignAssociate degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Interior DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $8,906 | $37,147 | 24% |
| 10 | Minneapolis Community and Technical CollegeMN · Public | Design and Visual Communications, GeneralAssociate degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Commercial PhotographyThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $12,000 | $48,952 | 25% |
Source: College Scorecard, Field of Study (retrieved September 2026)
Bachelor’s degree
The 10 lowest debt-to-earnings ratios of 268 bachelor’s degree programs reporting both figures.
| # | Institution | Fieldand delivery | at completion | 4 yrs after | Median federal loan debt at completion, divided by median earnings four years later. It answers a single question: how much of one year’s income do you owe on the day you finish?Below 50% is generally considered manageable. Above 100% means graduates owe more than they earn in a year, and repayment on a standard ten-year plan starts to consume a serious share of income.Debt covers federal loans only, so real ratios are often worse. Both figures are medians — half of graduates fall on the wrong side of each. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Washington-Seattle CampusWA · Public | Design and Visual Communications, GeneralBachelor’s degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Industrial and Product DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $12,250 | $89,193 | 14% |
| 2 | CUNY New York City College of TechnologyNY · Public | Design and Visual Communications, GeneralBachelor’s degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Commercial and Advertising ArtThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $8,832 | $52,562 | 17% |
| 3 | Carnegie Mellon UniversityPA · Private nonprofit | Design and Visual Communications, GeneralBachelor’s degree · On campus | $24,500 | $138,588 | 18% |
| 4 | University of Southern CaliforniaCA · Private nonprofit | Design and Visual Communications, GeneralBachelor’s degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Game and Interactive Media DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $18,000 | $89,022 | 20% |
| 5 | Belmont UniversityTN · Private nonprofit | Design and Visual Communications, GeneralBachelor’s degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Interior DesignFashion/Apparel DesignIllustrationThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $12,500 | $58,314 | 21% |
| 6 | Utah Valley UniversityUT · Public | Design and Visual Communications, GeneralBachelor’s degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Game and Interactive Media DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $12,500 | $55,728 | 22% |
| 7 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCA · Public | Graphic Communications, GeneralBachelor’s degree · On campus | $17,961 | $79,432 | 23% |
| 8 | Brigham Young UniversityUT · Private nonprofit | Design and Visual Communications, GeneralBachelor’s degree · On campusWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Graphic DesignIllustrationIndustrial and Product DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $12,065 | $52,929 | 23% |
| 9 | University of Notre DameIN · Private nonprofit | Design and Visual Communications, GeneralBachelor’s degree · On campus | $19,250 | $83,414 | 23% |
| 10 | Atlantic UniversityPR · Private nonprofit | Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special EffectsBachelor’s degree · On campus | $5,440 | $23,042 | 24% |
Source: College Scorecard, Field of Study (retrieved September 2026)
Master’s degree
The 10 lowest debt-to-earnings ratios of 66 master’s degree programs reporting both figures.
| # | Institution | Fieldand delivery | at completion | 4 yrs after | Median federal loan debt at completion, divided by median earnings four years later. It answers a single question: how much of one year’s income do you owe on the day you finish?Below 50% is generally considered manageable. Above 100% means graduates owe more than they earn in a year, and repayment on a standard ten-year plan starts to consume a serious share of income.Debt covers federal loans only, so real ratios are often worse. Both figures are medians — half of graduates fall on the wrong side of each. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Governors UniversityUT · Private nonprofit | Educational/Instructional TechnologyMaster’s degree · HybridOffers: Computer Science (BS) · Software Engineering (BS) · Information Technology (BS) · User Experience Design (BS) · Front-End Web Development (Certificate) | $7,989 | $71,469 | 11% |
| 2 | California State University-Monterey BayCA · Public | Educational/Instructional TechnologyMaster’s degree · Fully online | $14,540 | $104,220 | 14% |
| 3 | Harvard UniversityMA · Private nonprofit | Educational/Instructional TechnologyMaster’s degree · On campus | $20,500 | $127,546 | 16% |
| 4 | Concordia University-IrvineCA · Private nonprofit | Educational/Instructional TechnologyMaster’s degree · Hybrid | $20,500 | $102,896 | 20% |
| 5 | California State University-FullertonCA · Public | Educational/Instructional TechnologyMaster’s degree · Hybrid | $20,300 | $91,755 | 22% |
| 6 | National UniversityCA · Private nonprofit | Educational/Instructional TechnologyMaster’s degree · Hybrid | $23,284 | $93,547 | 25% |
| 7 | Florida State UniversityFL · Public | Educational/Instructional TechnologyMaster’s degree · Fully online | $20,500 | $77,041 | 27% |
| 8 | Aurora UniversityIL · Private nonprofit | Educational/Instructional TechnologyMaster’s degree · On campus | $20,505 | $76,260 | 27% |
| 9 | Liberty UniversityVA · Private nonprofit | Design and Visual Communications, GeneralMaster’s degree · HybridWhat this figure actually coversThe federal government reports debt and earnings for a whole program family rather than one degree. At this institution that family also includes:Graphic DesignInterior DesignThe figures on this row describe all of them together. We cannot separate them, and we do not estimate. | $30,991 | $112,935 | 27% |
| 10 | Utah State UniversityUT · Public | Educational/Instructional TechnologyMaster’s degree · Fully online | $23,965 | $86,107 | 28% |
Source: College Scorecard, Field of Study (retrieved September 2026)
How we are paid: StudyCreative earns revenue when readers ask to be connected with a school. No school pays to appear in these figures, to change them, or to be left out of them. Full disclosure.
The other end of the same list
Ranking by value means some programs come last. We publish those too — the cost page names the design and digital art programs where graduates owe more than they earn in a year.