2026 Best Value Art Therapy/Therapist Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Art Therapy/Therapist](/majors/health-care-professions/rehab-and-therapeutic-professions/art-therapy-therapist/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong art therapy/therapist education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 23 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for art therapy/therapist students.
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2026 Best Value Art Therapy/Therapist Schools in the Great Lakes Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the art therapy/therapist degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Art Therapy/Therapist Schools
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis tops our 2026 list of the best value art therapy/therapist schools in the Great Lakes Region. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is a very large public school located in the city of Indianapolis. In-state tuition and fees average $10,762, with out-of-state students paying around $34,891. Typical student debt for art therapy/therapist graduates is $22,937. Early-career art therapy/therapist graduates make about $55,713. That is a strong return on a $22,937 median debt. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Lewis University one of the best values for art therapy/therapist. Lewis University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Romeoville. In-state tuition and fees average $39,200. Art Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $24,838 in student loans. Soon after graduation, art therapy/therapist degree recipients from Lewis University generally make around $55,718. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Lewis University admits about 71% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Mount Mary College one of the best values for art therapy/therapist. Mount Mary College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Milwaukee. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $35,420. Typical student debt for art therapy/therapist graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, art therapy/therapist degree recipients from Mount Mary College generally make around $68,344. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 62% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Indianapolis one of the best values for art therapy/therapist. Located in the city of Indianapolis, University Of Indianapolis is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $37,200. Students borrow a median of $26,699 to complete the art therapy/therapist program here. Art Therapy/therapist graduates of University Of Indianapolis earn a median of $70,588 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Indianapolis admits about 66% of applicants.
Indiana Wesleyan University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in art therapy/therapist, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the town of Marion, Indiana Wesleyan University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $32,352. Typical student debt for art therapy/therapist graduates is $25,606. Soon after graduation, art therapy/therapist degree recipients from Indiana Wesleyan University generally make around $52,449. That is a strong return on a $25,606 median debt. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus landed the #6 spot for art therapy/therapist value this year. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Cincinnati. In-state tuition and fees average $13,363, while out-of-state students pay about $28,697. Art Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $23,530 in student loans. Soon after graduation, art therapy/therapist degree recipients from University Of Cincinnati Main Campus generally make around $70,824. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Edgewood College landed the #7 spot for art therapy/therapist value this year. Edgewood College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Madison. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $35,860. Art Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, art therapy/therapist degree recipients from Edgewood College generally make around $56,578. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Edgewood College admits about 76% of applicants.
Saint Mary Of The Woods College came in at #8 for value in art therapy/therapist this year. Saint Mary Of The Woods College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Saint Mary of the Woods. In-state tuition and fees average $34,240. Art Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $30,915 in student loans. Soon after graduation, art therapy/therapist degree recipients from Saint Mary Of The Woods College generally make around $39,859. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Saint Mary Of The Woods College admits about 72% of applicants.
School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago landed the #9 spot for art therapy/therapist value this year. Located in the city of Chicago, School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $54,623. Art Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, art therapy/therapist degree recipients from School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago generally make around $49,062. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago admits about 78% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 23 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
