2026 Best Value Art Education Schools in New Jersey
[Art Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/art-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong art education education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for art education students.
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2026 Best Value Art Education Schools in New Jersey
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in art education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Art Education Schools
Leading the list is New Jersey City University, our #1 best value for art education in New Jersey. Located in the city of Jersey City, New Jersey City University is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,460. Students borrow a median of $22,107 to complete the art education program here. Art Education graduates of New Jersey City University earn a median of $47,083 early in their careers. Set against $22,107 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. New Jersey City University admits about 98% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Kean University earned it the #2 place for art education. Kean University is a large public school located in the suburb of Union. In-state tuition and fees average $14,299, while out-of-state students pay about $22,446. Art Education graduates carry a median of $29,625 in student loans. Soon after graduation, art education degree recipients from Kean University generally make around $40,929. Set against $29,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 76%.
Students looking for strong value in art education will find it at Rider University, which ranked #3. Rider University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Lawrenceville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,120. Art Education graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career art education graduates make about $48,601. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
The College Of New Jersey came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value art education schools. Set in the suburb of Ewing, The College Of New Jersey is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $19,632, with out-of-state students paying around $25,752. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the art education program here. Art Education graduates of The College Of New Jersey earn a median of $60,604 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 62% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
