2026 Best Value Fine & Studio Arts Schools in Washington
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the fine & studio arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Fine & Studio Arts Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Washington Seattle Campus the best value for a degree in fine & studio arts in Washington. Set in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,973, with out-of-state students paying around $43,209. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $13,667. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of University Of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of $25,947 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 39%.
Students looking for strong value in fine & studio arts will find it at Eastern Washington University, which ranked #2. Eastern Washington University is a large public school located in the town of Cheney. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,586, with out-of-state students paying around $26,583. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $19,060. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Eastern Washington University earn a median of $47,144 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Washington State University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value fine & studio arts schools. Located in the town of Pullman, Washington State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,391, with out-of-state students paying around $29,950. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $21,903 in student loans. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Washington State University earn a median of $54,697 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,903 median debt. Washington State University admits about 87% of applicants.
Central Washington University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value fine & studio arts schools. Located in the town of Ellensburg, Central Washington University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,417 in tuition and fees, compared with $27,526 for out-of-state students. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $26,123. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Central Washington University admits about 91% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in fine & studio arts will find it at Western Washington University, which ranked #5. Western Washington University is a large public school located in the city of Bellingham. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,582, with out-of-state students paying around $28,707. Students borrow a median of $21,246 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Western Washington University earn a median of $23,102 early in their careers. Set against $21,246 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Pacific Lutheran University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value fine & studio arts schools. Located in the suburb of Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $50,916 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $25,000. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from Pacific Lutheran University generally make around $23,766. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
The Evergreen State College earned the #7 position for value in fine & studio arts this year. The Evergreen State College is a mid-sized public school located in the suburb of Olympia. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,264, while out-of-state students pay about $31,905. Students borrow a median of $21,850 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from The Evergreen State College generally make around $26,942. Set against $21,850 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
Whitman College came in at #8 for value in fine & studio arts this year. Located in the city of Walla Walla, Whitman College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $64,050. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $17,518 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from Whitman College generally make around $32,345. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Puget Sound landed the #9 spot for fine & studio arts value this year. Set in the city of Tacoma, University Of Puget Sound is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $62,898. Students borrow a median of $26,345 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from University Of Puget Sound generally make around $28,469. Set against $26,345 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 17 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
[Fine & Studio Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/fine-and-studio-arts/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
