[General Visual & Performing Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/general-visual-performing-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 16 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general visual & performing arts students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general visual & performing arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is Austin Community College District, our #1 best value for general visual & performing arts in Texas. Set in the city of Austin, Austin Community College District is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,550, compared with $10,590 for out-of-state students. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates carry a median of $10,000 in student loans. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates of Austin Community College District earn a median of $29,669 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $10,000 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at San Jacinto Community College earned it the #2 place for general visual & performing arts. Set in the city of Pasadena, San Jacinto Community College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,490, with out-of-state students paying around $6,690. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates carry a median of $11,376 in student loans. Early-career general visual & performing arts graduates make about $21,173. Set against $11,376 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Rice University earned it the #3 place for general visual & performing arts. Rice University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Houston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $61,247. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates carry a median of $11,904 in student loans. Early-career general visual & performing arts graduates make about $75,299. Set against $11,904 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Rice University admits about 8% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Texas At Dallas earned it the #4 place for general visual & performing arts. Set in the city of Richardson, The University Of Texas At Dallas is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,644, while out-of-state students pay about $40,144. Students borrow a median of $21,196 to complete the general visual & performing arts program here. Early-career general visual & performing arts graduates make about $28,494. Set against $21,196 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The University Of Texas At Dallas admits about 65% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes The University Of Texas At Austin one of the best values for general visual & performing arts. Set in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,688, with out-of-state students paying around $44,908. Typical student debt for general visual & performing arts graduates is $21,500. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates of The University Of Texas At Austin earn a median of $29,707 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 27% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Houston Downtown ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value general visual & performing arts schools. Located in the city of Houston, University Of Houston Downtown is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,582, compared with $17,434 for out-of-state students. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates carry a median of $23,925 in student loans. Early-career general visual & performing arts graduates make about $19,527. Set against $23,925 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Tarleton State University came in at #7 for value in general visual & performing arts this year. Located in the town of Stephenville, Tarleton State University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,302, compared with $18,142 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,222 to complete the general visual & performing arts program here. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates of Tarleton State University earn a median of $50,532 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,222 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Texas A And M University College Station ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value general visual & performing arts schools. Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public school located in the city of College Station. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,995, while out-of-state students pay about $40,124. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates carry a median of $22,420 in student loans. Early-career general visual & performing arts graduates make about $64,891. Set against $22,420 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
