[General Visual & Performing Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/general-visual-performing-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 2 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value general visual & performing arts schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general visual & performing arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Our analysis ranked University Of Illinois At Chicago the best value for a degree in general visual & performing arts in Illinois. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,949 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $32,009. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates carry a median of $20,115 in student loans. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates of University Of Illinois At Chicago earn a median of $61,829 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Elmhurst College came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value general visual & performing arts schools. Located in the suburb of Elmhurst, Elmhurst College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $42,955. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates carry a median of $22,400 in student loans. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates of Elmhurst College earn a median of $51,232 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 74%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 2 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.
