2027 Best Value Commercial Photography Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Commercial Photography](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/commercial-photography/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong commercial photography education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for commercial photography students.
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2027 Best Value Commercial Photography Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in commercial photography, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Commercial Photography Schools
Metropolitan Community College Area tops our 2027 list of the best value commercial photography schools in the The Plains States Region. Set in the city of Omaha, Metropolitan Community College Area is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,375, while out-of-state students pay about $4,950. Commercial Photography graduates carry a median of $12,526 in student loans. Soon after graduation, commercial photography degree recipients from Metropolitan Community College Area generally make around $29,902. That is a strong return on a $12,526 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Hawkeye Community College earned it the #2 place for commercial photography. Set in the rural area of Waterloo, Hawkeye Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,525, compared with $6,612 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for commercial photography graduates is $17,001. Soon after graduation, commercial photography degree recipients from Hawkeye Community College generally make around $41,902. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Century College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in commercial photography, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the suburb of White Bear Lake, Century College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,214 in tuition and fees. Commercial Photography graduates carry a median of $15,000 in student loans. Early-career commercial photography graduates make about $41,814. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Des Moines Area Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in commercial photography, landing the #4 spot this year. Des Moines Area Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Ankeny. In-state tuition and fees average $5,790, with out-of-state students paying around $6,690. Commercial Photography graduates carry a median of $13,625 in student loans. Commercial Photography graduates of Des Moines Area Community College earn a median of $25,265 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,625 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in commercial photography will find it at Minneapolis Community And Technical College, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Community And Technical College is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,161. Commercial Photography graduates carry a median of $18,601 in student loans. Early-career commercial photography graduates make about $40,230. Set against $18,601 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 5 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.
