Cheapest Design and Applied Arts Colleges in Texas

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley stands out as the most affordable option for Design and Applied Arts students in Texas at just $6,500 net price annually. This creates a striking $13,178 cost gap between the cheapest and most expensive programs in the state. Texas offers strong career prospects for design graduates through its massive healthcare industry, which employs the second-largest medical workforce in the U.S. and relies heavily on medical illustrators, health communication designers, and digital media specialists. Graduation rates across these 15 programs vary dramatically from 26.5% at University of Houston-Victoria to 87.6% at UT Austin. The earnings potential spans from $26,739 to $55,151, with UT Austin graduates commanding the highest salaries despite the program's selective 31.35% acceptance rate. Students can leverage state financial aid through programs like the Texas Tomorrow Fund and TEXAS Grant to make these already affordable options even more accessible.

Programs

$6,500 – $41,942

Net Price Range

$34,914

Avg. Program Earnings

53.7%

Avg. Graduation Rate

33 Design and Applied Arts Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, Texas	$6,500	$9,859	49.3%	87.7%
2	University of Houston-Victoria Victoria, Texas	$8,624	$7,499	26.5%	82.1%
3	Texas Woman's University Denton, Texas	$10,948	$8,648	44.2%	93.6%
4	Texas A & M University-Commerce Commerce, Texas	$11,268	$10,026	45.9%	86.5%
5	Lamar University Beaumont, Texas	$11,429	$8,690	37.2%	83.7%
6	University of Houston Houston, Texas	$13,853	$9,711	64.9%	66.2%
7	Prairie View A & M University Prairie View, Texas	$14,041	$11,299	43.2%	76.1%
8	University of North Texas Denton, Texas	$14,352	$11,164	59.6%	79.1%
9	Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi Corpus Christi, Texas	$15,137	$9,748	33.7%	88.0%
10	Stephen F Austin State University Nacogdoches, Texas	$15,152	$10,600	51.7%	89.5%
11	The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, Texas	$15,235	$11,728	56.5%	80.8%
12	Sam Houston State University Huntsville, Texas	$16,025	$9,228	55.1%	84.6%
13	Texas State University San Marcos, Texas	$16,438	$11,450	56.2%	87.7%
14	The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, Texas	$17,435	$14,564	70.8%	84.7%
15	The University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas	$19,678	$11,678	87.6%	31.4%
16	Houston Christian University Houston, Texas	$19,710	$38,100	49.8%	84.5%
17	McMurry University Abilene, Texas	$19,988	$31,372	38.6%	56.5%
18	Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas	$20,071	$11,852	67.5%	67.3%
19	Schreiner University Kerrville, Texas	$20,410	$37,396	43.7%	85.2%
20	University of the Incarnate Word San Antonio, Texas	$20,498	$35,660	51.8%	94.2%
21	Wayland Baptist University Plainview, Texas	$20,540	$23,186	19.2%	69.7%
22	West Texas A & M University Canyon, Texas	$20,841	$9,101	47.3%	91.6%
23	Hardin-Simmons University Abilene, Texas	$21,031	$31,686	49.6%	88.3%
24	Wade College Dallas, Texas	$21,998	$17,692	45.5%
25	Saint Edward's University Austin, Texas	$23,636	$51,384	64.2%	85.1%
26	The King's University Southlake, Texas	$23,878	$12,480	40.0%	93.8%
27	Lubbock Christian University Lubbock, Texas	$25,910	$27,298	48.7%	81.6%
28	Abilene Christian University Abilene, Texas	$27,401	$42,380	60.2%	65.8%
29	University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Belton, Texas	$28,690	$33,150	53.4%	95.7%
30	Dallas Baptist University Dallas, Texas	$30,092	$38,140	60.4%	91.4%
31	Texas Christian University Fort Worth, Texas	$33,531	$57,220	85.6%	56.1%
32	Southern Methodist University Dallas, Texas	$41,778	$64,460	83.3%	52.3%
33	Baylor University Waco, Texas	$41,942	$54,844	80.2%	45.9%

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes University of Houston such good value for design students?

University of Houston offers strong earning potential at $43,426 for graduates while maintaining a reasonable net cost of $13,853. The 64.9% graduation rate ranks among the top five programs in the state. Students graduate with manageable debt at $24,000, well below national averages for design programs.

How do graduation rates compare across affordable Texas design programs?

Graduation rates vary significantly across these programs, ranging from 26.5% to 87.6%. Stephen F Austin State University achieves a solid 51.7% graduation rate at just $15,152 net cost. University of North Texas delivers 59.6% graduation rates while keeping costs at $14,352 annually.

Is the debt load reasonable for Texas design graduates?

Most programs maintain manageable debt levels, with UT Dallas graduates averaging just $19,750 in loans. UT Austin students borrow $18,000 on average but earn $55,151 upon graduation. Sam Houston State students face higher debt at $29,000 but still earn $33,459 annually.

Does acceptance rate affect program quality in Texas design schools?

UT Austin maintains the most selective admissions at 31.35% acceptance rate and produces the highest-earning graduates at $55,151. However, more accessible programs like Texas Woman's University with 93.63% acceptance still deliver solid outcomes. Students can find quality education across the 76% to 94% acceptance range at most schools.

Where do the lowest-cost design programs offer the best return?

UT Rio Grande Valley provides the absolute lowest cost at $6,500 net price with an 87.7% acceptance rate. Texas A&M Commerce offers good value at $11,268 with $32,569 graduate earnings. University of Houston delivers the strongest earnings relative to cost among affordable options.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.