[Metal & Jewelry Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/fine-and-studio-arts/metal-and-jewelry-arts/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong metal & jewelry arts education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 9 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for metal & jewelry arts students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in metal & jewelry arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is Pasadena City College, our #1 best value for metal & jewelry arts in the Far Western Region. Located in the city of Pasadena, Pasadena City College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $1,180 in tuition and fees, compared with $10,924 for out-of-state students. Metal & Jewelry Arts graduates carry a median of $9,191 in student loans. Metal & Jewelry Arts graduates of Pasadena City College earn a median of $38,841 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in metal & jewelry arts will find it at Folsom Lake College, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Folsom, Folsom Lake College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $1,288, compared with $12,616 for out-of-state students. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $42,568.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Santa Ana College earned it the #3 place for metal & jewelry arts. Set in the city of Santa Ana, Santa Ana College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $1,180 in tuition and fees, compared with $10,756 for out-of-state students. Metal & Jewelry Arts graduates carry a median of $11,196 in student loans. Soon after graduation, metal & jewelry arts degree recipients from Santa Ana College generally make around $39,633. That is a strong return on a $11,196 median debt.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Washington Seattle Campus one of the best values for metal & jewelry arts. Located in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,973, compared with $43,209 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $13,667 to complete the metal & jewelry arts program here. Metal & Jewelry Arts graduates of University Of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of $65,681 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Washington Seattle Campus admits about 39% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Gemological Institute Of America Carlsbad earned it the #5 place for metal & jewelry arts. Located in the city of Carlsbad, Gemological Institute Of America Carlsbad is a small private not-for-profit university. Students borrow a median of $8,233 to complete the metal & jewelry arts program here. Early-career metal & jewelry arts graduates make about $36,639. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Academy Of Art University earned the #6 position for value in metal & jewelry arts this year. Academy Of Art University is a moderately-sized private for-profit school located in the city of San Francisco. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $30,736. Students borrow a median of $41,870 to complete the metal & jewelry arts program here. Metal & Jewelry Arts graduates of Academy Of Art University earn a median of $50,953 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
California College Of The Arts placed #7 among the best values for metal & jewelry arts. Set in the city of San Francisco, California College Of The Arts is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $60,226. Typical student debt for metal & jewelry arts graduates is $29,250. Metal & Jewelry Arts graduates of California College Of The Arts earn a median of $21,093 early in their careers. Set against $29,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 91%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
