2027 Best Value Painting Schools in New York
[Painting](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/fine-and-studio-arts/painting/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for painting students.
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2027 Best Value Painting Schools in New York
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in painting, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Painting Schools
Our analysis ranked Suny College At Buffalo the best value for a degree in painting in New York. Suny College At Buffalo is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Buffalo. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,533, with out-of-state students paying around $19,653. Painting graduates carry a median of $23,000 in student loans. Painting graduates of Suny College At Buffalo earn a median of $24,041 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 73% of applicants are accepted.
State University Of New York At New Paltz is a great value for students pursuing a degree in painting, landing the #2 spot this year. State University Of New York At New Paltz is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of New Paltz. Students from in state pay about $8,572 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $18,822. Typical student debt for painting graduates is $23,562. Painting graduates of State University Of New York At New Paltz earn a median of $18,842 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,562 median debt. The acceptance rate is 62%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Suny At Purchase College earned it the #3 place for painting. Located in the suburb of Purchase, Suny At Purchase College is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,016, while out-of-state students pay about $19,266. Students borrow a median of $23,850 to complete the painting program here. Early-career painting graduates make about $14,984. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Suny At Purchase College admits about 74% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in painting will find it at Alfred University, which ranked #4. Alfred University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Alfred. In-state tuition and fees average $38,138. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the painting program here. Soon after graduation, painting degree recipients from Alfred University generally make around $22,178. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Alfred University admits about 74% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Syracuse University earned it the #5 place for painting. Located in the city of Syracuse, Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,528. Typical student debt for painting graduates is $27,000. Painting graduates of Syracuse University earn a median of $54,785 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 46% of applicants are accepted.
Pratt Institute Main earned the #6 position for value in painting this year. Pratt Institute Main is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Brooklyn. In-state tuition and fees average $61,845. Painting graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, painting degree recipients from Pratt Institute Main generally make around $25,616. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 73%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
