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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Fine & Studio Arts (Income $48-$75k) in Illinois

28 Ranked Colleges
1,321 Degrees Awarded
$22,047 Avg Salary
Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 39,860 people earned their degree in fine and studio arts, making the major the 29th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, fine and studio arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $23,847 and had an average of $28,316 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 1,685 fine and studio arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $22,071 and $29,661 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,321 fine and studio arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 28 colleges that offer a degree in fine and studio arts. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent fine and studio arts programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the fine and studio arts program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Fine & Studio Arts Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois bachelor’s degree fine arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Fine & Studio Arts (Income $48-$75k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Northwestern is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 24 bachelors’s Fine Arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also made our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $6,452 for illinois bachelor’s degree fine arts students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northwestern.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full Northwestern University Fine & Studio Arts Report

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 21 degrees to qualified bachelors’s Fine Arts students in 2019-2020.

UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for UChicago is $7,934 for illinois bachelor’s degree fine arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

Full University of Chicago Fine & Studio Arts Report

Out of the 28 schools in the Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #3 spot on the list. UIUC is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 36 bachelors’s Fine Arts degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also made our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $13,351 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Fine Arts students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Fine & Studio Arts Report

#4

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

Out of the 28 schools in the Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Eastern Illinois University landed the #4 spot on the list. EIU is a medium-sized public school situated in Charleston, Illinois. It awarded 24 bachelors’s Fine Arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at EIU, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Eastern Illinois University is $13,560 for illinois bachelor’s degree fine arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Eastern Illinois University Fine & Studio Arts Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 35 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s Fine Arts students in 2019-2020.

SIUE also made our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend SIUE is $13,705 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Fine Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

#6

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Northern Illinois University is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 78 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

NIU also made our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend Northern Illinois University is $18,346 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Fine Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full NIU Fine & Studio Arts Report

University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s Fine Arts degrees in 2019-2020.

UIC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Chicago is $13,683 for illinois bachelor’s degree fine arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at University of Illinois at Chicago

#8

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Illinois State is a large public school situated in Normal, Illinois. It awarded 84 bachelors’s Fine Arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State is $19,080 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Fine Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Illinois State

#9

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #9. This small school is located in Wheaton, Illinois, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s Fine Arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wheaton College Illinois, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Illinois is $19,691 for illinois bachelor’s degree fine arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Wheaton College Illinois

Southern Illinois University Carbondale ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Carbondale, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s Fine Arts degrees to 37 students in 2019-2020.

SIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for SIUC is $14,985 for illinois bachelor’s degree fine arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

#11

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

With a ranking of #11, Western Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Western Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 21 bachelors’s Fine Arts degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Western Illinois University is $15,912 for illinois bachelor’s degree fine arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Western Illinois University Fine & Studio Arts Report

Northeastern Illinois University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s Fine Arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern Illinois University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern Illinois University is $18,180 for illinois bachelor’s degree fine arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Northeastern Illinois University

#13

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Olivet Nazarene is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bourbonnais, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Olivet Nazarene also made our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend Olivet Nazarene University is $17,841 for illinois bachelor’s degree fine arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Olivet Nazarene Fine & Studio Arts Report

#14

North Park University

Chicago, Illinois
#14 in overall quality

North Park University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 19 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s Fine Arts students in 2019-2020.

North Park also made our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for North Park is $18,813 for illinois bachelor’s degree fine arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at North Park

#15

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois

With a ranking of #15, Millikin University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Millikin is a private not-for-profit institution located in Decatur, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Millikin also made our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #20. The yearly cost to attend Millikin is $20,390 for illinois bachelor’s degree fine arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Millikin

#16

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, Illinois

Lake Forest College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Lake Forest, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 15 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s Fine Arts students in 2019-2020.

Lake Forest not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Lake Forest College is $24,683 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Fine Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Lake Forest

#17

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois

With a ranking of #17, Augustana College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Augustana College is a small school located in Rock Island, Illinois that handed out 8 bachelors’s Fine Arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Augustana also made our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #21. The estimated yearly cost for Augustana is $21,453 for illinois bachelor’s degree fine arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Augustana College

#18

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois

Knox College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Knox is located in Galesburg, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Knox College is $19,653 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Fine Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Knox

#19

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois
#24 in overall quality

Elmhurst University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Elmhurst, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 2 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s Fine Arts students in 2019-2020.

Elmhurst also took the #24 spot in our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Elmhurst University is $19,703 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Fine Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Elmhurst University Fine & Studio Arts Report

#20

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois
#25 in overall quality

Dominican University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. Dominican U is located in River Forest, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dominican U, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Dominican University is $18,582 for illinois bachelor’s degree fine arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Dominican U

#21

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois

Bradley University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Bradley University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Peoria, Illinois. It awarded 10 bachelors’s Fine Arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Bradley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Bradley is $22,865 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Fine Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Bradley

#22

North Central College

Naperville, Illinois
#22 in overall quality

North Central College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. North Central College is located in Naperville, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

North Central also took the #22 spot in our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Central is $23,353 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Fine Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full North Central Fine & Studio Arts Report

#23

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois

Illinois Wesleyan University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Bloomington, Illinois, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s Fine Arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois Wesleyan not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois Wesleyan is $23,309 for illinois bachelor’s degree fine arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Illinois Wesleyan University

#24

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Columbia College Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #24. Columbia College Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 bachelors’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Columbia, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Columbia is $31,071 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Fine Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Columbia

#25

American Academy of Art

Chicago, Illinois

American Academy of Art came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Fine Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s Fine Arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend American Academy of Art is $31,382 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Fine Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at The Academy

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Jorge Royan.

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