[General Visual & Performing Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/general-visual-performing-arts/) 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.
College Factual analyzed 12 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value general visual & performing arts schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general visual & performing arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Elmhurst College earned the #1 spot for value among general visual & performing arts schools in Illinois. Elmhurst College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Elmhurst. In-state tuition and fees average $42,955. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates carry a median of $22,400 in student loans. Early-career general visual & performing arts graduates make about $51,232. Set against $22,400 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
Greenville College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general visual & performing arts, landing the #2 spot this year. Greenville College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Greenville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $32,200. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates carry a median of $25,933 in student loans. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates of Greenville College earn a median of $36,911 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,933 median debt. Greenville College admits about 98% of applicants.
School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value general visual & performing arts schools. Set in the city of Chicago, School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $54,623. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career general visual & performing arts graduates make about $38,205. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 12 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.
