2026 Best Value Drawing Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Drawing](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/fine-and-studio-arts/drawing/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 10 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value drawing schools.
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2026 Best Value Drawing Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in drawing, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Drawing Schools
For return on investment in drawing, no school beat Sinclair Community College this year. Set in the city of Dayton, Sinclair Community College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,675 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,556. Drawing graduates carry a median of $12,525 in student loans. Drawing graduates of Sinclair Community College earn a median of $35,348 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $12,525 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in drawing will find it at Ferris State University, which ranked #2. Ferris State University is a large public school located in the town of Big Rapids. Students from in state pay about $14,778 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the drawing program here. Early-career drawing graduates make about $24,540. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 91%.
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a great value for students pursuing a degree in drawing, landing the #3 spot this year. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,848, while out-of-state students pay about $63,081. Students borrow a median of $19,319 to complete the drawing program here. Early-career drawing graduates make about $66,254. That is a strong return on a $19,319 median debt. The acceptance rate is 16%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Oakland University earned it the #4 place for drawing. Located in the suburb of Rochester Hills, Oakland University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,167, while out-of-state students pay about $24,735. Drawing graduates carry a median of $25,972 in student loans. Soon after graduation, drawing degree recipients from Oakland University generally make around $22,840. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Oakland University admits about 88% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in drawing will find it at Shawnee State University, which ranked #5. Located in the town of Portsmouth, Shawnee State University is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,448, compared with $16,032 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $28,750 to complete the drawing program here. Soon after graduation, drawing degree recipients from Shawnee State University generally make around $42,878. Set against $28,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Aquinas College Michigan earned the #6 position for value in drawing this year. Set in the city of Grand Rapids, Aquinas College Michigan is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $40,218. Drawing graduates carry a median of $25,925 in student loans. Soon after graduation, drawing degree recipients from Aquinas College Michigan generally make around $40,708. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Cleveland Institute Of Art landed the #7 spot for drawing value this year. Set in the city of Cleveland, Cleveland Institute Of Art is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $48,700. Typical student debt for drawing graduates is $27,000. Drawing graduates of Cleveland Institute Of Art earn a median of $18,839 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Cleveland Institute Of Art admits about 61% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 10 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.