Best Value UX Design Programs 2026: Top ROI Schools

Best UX Design Programs - Top 10 Best Value — Complete Program Data

1. #1. Massachusetts College of Art and Design

   Location: Boston, MA | Type: Public | Tuition: $1,030/year | Graduation Rate: 98% | Score: 100.0

   What makes Massachusetts College of Art and Design stand out: MassArt trains UX designers grounded in fine arts traditions of rigorous critique and visual sophistication, producing creatively-led designers who bring aesthetic intentionality to user experience work.

   Hakia Insight: Boston Fenway cultural district

   Program Overview: MassArt's UX program emerges from a deep studio design tradition, meaning students inherit a culture of rigorous critique, iterative making, and visual sophistication that separates graduates from those trained primarily in digital tools. The curriculum begins with foundational design principles—typography, color, composition, spatial thinking—before layering UX-specific methods like user research and interaction design. This grounding produces designers who make aesthetically intentional choices rather than defaulting to templates. Faculty are active designers and design educators; many maintain practices and exhibit work, bringing current thinking about design's role in culture into the classroom. The college's location in Boston's Fenway cultural district exposes students to ongoing design conversations through galleries, lectures, and industry events. MassArt graduates are particularly competitive for roles emphasizing design leadership, brand strategy, and creative direction—outcomes rooted in the program's insistence that UX designers must understand design's communicative and emotional dimensions, not just its functional ones.

   Degree Programs: Bachelors in Ux Design

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2. #2. Elizabeth City State University

   Location: Elizabeth City, NC | Type: Public | Tuition: $1,000/year | Graduation Rate: 99% | Score: 94.1

   What makes Elizabeth City State University stand out: Elizabeth City State University's Graphic Design program is part of a historically black public university that emphasizes preparing students for both professional careers and graduate school advancement.

   Hakia Insight: Located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina

   Program Overview: Elizabeth City State University offers a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design through the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. The program seeks to provide a solid education to prepare students for opportunities in professional careers and/or graduate school. The department provides a baccalaureate-level sequence of study that leads to a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design. While the university does not appear to offer a dedicated UX Design program, the Graphic Design program may provide foundational skills relevant to user experience design through visual communication, design principles, and digital media training. The program appears to have transfer partnerships, including a bilateral agreement with Pitt Community College for Graphic Design students. ECSU is located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and serves as a historically black public university with various academic support services and resources available to students.

   Degree Programs: Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design (4 years)

   Industry Partners: Pitt Community College

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3. #3. Fitchburg State University

   Location: Fitchburg, MA | Type: Public | Tuition: $970/year | Score: 85.7

   What makes Fitchburg State University stand out: The program uniquely combines traditional graphic design with modern UX/UI design and requires extensive hands-on internship experience in professional settings.

   Hakia Insight: Fitchburg State University's partnerships with Giro Studio and Worcester Chamber of Commerce translate research into real-world experience — a key differentiator for hiring managers.

   Program Overview: Fitchburg State University's Graphic Design program within the Communications Media department offers comprehensive training in visual communication and design thinking. The program covers diverse areas including book design, visual identity and branding, package design, website design, exhibition design, motion graphics, advertising, data visualization, environmental design, user experience design, and illustration. Students work on real-world projects such as photomontage posters, UX/UI interaction design for mobile apps, font design, and beer infographics. The program emphasizes both creative thinking and practical application of visual language in modern communication. All Communications Media students are required to complete a full-semester 12-credit internship involving 30-40 hour weeks of mentored practicum in professional settings. The department offers both a major concentration and a minor option, allowing students across campus to develop creative skills and master graphic design fundamentals.

   Degree Programs: Graphic Design Concentration, Communications Media, BS (4 years); Graphic Design Minor (not specified)

   Industry Partners: Giro Studio, Worcester Chamber of Commerce, Brewster Branding, Another Age Video, Central Square Theater

   Career Outcomes: | Common Roles: Graphic Designer, Visual Identity Designer, Package Designer, Website Designer, UX Designer, Motion Graphics Designer, Exhibition Designer

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4. #4. Gulf Coast State College

   Location: Panama City, FL | Type: Public | Tuition: $1,750/year | Graduation Rate: 90% | Score: 57.4

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5. #5. Florida Atlantic University

   Location: Boca Raton, FL | Type: Public | Tuition: $2,522/year | Graduation Rate: 78% | Score: 41.7

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6. #6. Lake Washington Institute of Technology

   Location: Kirkland, WA | Type: Public | Tuition: $3,195/year | Graduation Rate: 43% | Score: 31.5

   What makes Lake Washington Institute of Technology stand out: LWTech is the only public institute of technology in Washington state, offering hands-on UX design education with small class sizes and direct industry connections in the Seattle tech corridor.

   Hakia Insight: Located in Kirkland, WA in the Seattle tech corridor

   Program Overview: Lake Washington Institute of Technology offers comprehensive UX Design education through their User-Centered Design program and integrated design pathways. The program emphasizes real-world projects, meeting deadlines, problem-solving, and enhancing user experiences using industry-standard software. Students learn in small class settings ensuring personalized attention and hands-on training. The curriculum covers design and research methods incorporating technology, human activity, and data to prioritize needs for product/service development. Students master identifying design problems, analyzing research methods, evaluating data, and applying research-driven knowledge to design solutions. The program prepares graduates for careers in design firms, high-tech companies, advertising and branding firms, in-house art departments, and freelance consultancy, with strong emphasis on human-centered design theory and principles of inclusive and accessible design.

   Degree Programs: Bachelor of Applied Science in Design (4 years); Associate in Applied Science-Transfer in Design (2 years); Associate in Applied Science-Transfer in User-Centered Design (2 years); User-Centered Design Certificate of Proficiency (15 months)

   Industry Partners: Amazon LEO

   Career Outcomes: | Common Roles: designers, animators, project managers

   Notable Faculty: Steve Ater (Design); Benjamin Meyer (Design)

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7. #7. North Carolina A & T State University

   Location: Greensboro, NC | Type: Public | Tuition: $3,540/year | Graduation Rate: 84% | Score: 29.0

   What makes North Carolina A & T State University stand out: Department labs are equipped with PC and Mac computers, application software, SLR digital cameras, wide format printers, and a package plotter, providing comprehensive technical resources for user experience design education.

   Program Overview: The Bachelor of Science in Computer Graphics Technology (CGT) program offers a User Experience (UEXP) concentration that emphasizes true user experience applied to website development, video game creation, 2D and 3D animations, multimedia production, virtual reality (VR), publishing design, logo design, typography, and content creation for marketing or communication. Graduates typically secure jobs in companies, organizations, and government agencies with in-house design and user experience functions, with many also pursuing freelance design work and entrepreneurship.

   Degree Programs: BS

   Career Outcomes: | Common Roles: User Experience Designer, User Interface Designer, App Designer, Web Designer, VR Developer, Video Game Developer, Graphic Designer, Multimedia Creator, 3D Model Creator, Animator

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8. #8. Highline College

   Location: Des Moines, WA | Type: Public | Tuition: $3,633/year | Score: 28.3

   What makes Highline College stand out: Highline College's program uniquely combines traditional graphic design with UX/UI design elements and offers a seamless pathway from associate to bachelor's degree within the same institution, featuring industry-designed courses and mandatory internship experience.

   Hakia Insight: Located in Des Moines, WA with access to Seattle's creative industry

   Program Overview: Highline College's Visual Communications Program offers a comprehensive Graphic Design pathway that builds a strong foundation in design principles and industry-standard software skills. The program covers both print and online media, including logo and brand design, web page development, character design, animation, and advertising and marketing. Students use industry-standard software and equipment to design creative solutions while developing professional portfolios through real-world projects designed by industry professionals. The program offers flexible instruction modes including in-person, online, and hybrid formats, allowing students to complete coursework while maintaining work-life balance. Students gain hands-on experience through internships and can transfer seamlessly into the Bachelor of Applied Science in Integrated Design at Highline College.

   Degree Programs: Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Graphic Design (2 years); Associate of Applied Science-Transfer (AAS-T) in Graphic Design (2 years); Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Integrated Design (2 years)

   Career Outcomes: | Common Roles: Graphic Designer for Print and Online Media, Illustrator or Character Designer, Advertising and Marketing Graphic Designer, UX/UI Design, Social Media Content Creator, Production Artist, Creative Director, User Interface Designer, Print and Publication Designer, Video Editor, Animator

   Notable Faculty: Tamara Hilton (Graphic Design)

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9. #9. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

   Location: Tallahassee, FL | Type: Public | Tuition: $3,152/year | Score: 28.0

   Hakia Insight: Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University graduates earn $72,000, driven by the program's industry connections and hands-on ux design curriculum.

   Program Overview: Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University offers a Master of Science in Computer and Information Sciences with a concentration in Human-Computer Interaction and UX Design. The program emphasizes research-based approaches to design and includes thesis or project-based completion options.

   Degree Programs: Master of Science - Computer and Information Sciences (HCI/UX) (2)

   Research Labs: Human-Computer Interaction Research Lab - accessibility and inclusive design; Cybersecurity and Privacy Lab - secure user interface design

   Industry Partners: IBM, Capital City Bank, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare

   Career Outcomes: | Top Employers: IBM, Amazon, Government agencies, Healthcare systems | Common Roles: Senior UX Designer, UX Researcher, Product Manager

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   Accreditations: Certified User Experience Professional, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Certification

10. #10. University of Hawaii Maui College

    Location: Kahului, HI | Type: Public | Tuition: $3,144/year | Score: 27.5

    What makes University of Hawaii Maui College stand out: Offers accessible, practical design fundamentals integrated with community college pathways rather than standalone UX specialization.

    Hakia Insight: Direct pipeline to local Maui hospitality, tourism, and small business design needs

    Program Overview: UH Maui College's design education operates at a more foundational, community-college level, embedding design thinking into digital media and information technology programs. Rather than offering a specialized UX degree, the college provides pathways for students to build design competencies while earning credentials in broader IT or graphic communication fields. Coursework emphasizes practical skills—wireframing, prototyping, user testing—alongside hands-on projects for local Maui businesses. The intimate island setting enables direct partnerships with tourism, hospitality, and small business sectors that need affordable design solutions. Many graduates either pursue four-year degree completions at UH Manoa or other universities, or enter the workforce as junior designers or digital media specialists in regional companies.

    Degree Programs: Bachelors in Ux Design

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