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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Visual & Performing Arts (Income $0-$30k)

832 Ranked Colleges
96,991 Degrees Awarded
$3,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $0-$30k

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 Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 155,377 visual and performing arts students received their degree, making the major the 10th most popular in the country. In 2017-2018, visual and performing arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $25,427 and had an average of $28,377 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 96,991 visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 832 colleges that offer a degree in visual and performing arts. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent visual and performing 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 visual and performing arts program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Visual & Performing Arts Schools

The visual & performing arts school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Visual & Performing Arts (Income $0-$30k)

#1

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 832 schools in the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Duke University landed the #1 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Durham, North Carolina, and it awarded 50 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Duke also took the #3 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Duke University is $-7,808 for bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k. The negative number means the student will receive more financial aid on average than it costs to attend the school.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Duke

#2

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Stanford, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 53 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

Stanford did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $-1,387 for Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Stanford. The negative number means the student will receive more financial aid on average than it costs to attend the school.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 0.5% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Stanford

#3

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

Out of the 832 schools in the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #3 spot on the list. Northwestern is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 220 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, Northwestern has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $1,866 for bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Northwestern University

#4

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#10 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Washington University in St Louis. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Washington University in St Louis is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 128 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WUSTL, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,273 for Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Washington University in St Louis.

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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Washington University in St Louis Visual & Performing Arts Report

#5

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Top 5% in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Pennsylvania is a private not-for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a large population, and it awarded 90 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, UPenn is in the top on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Pennsylvania is $3,181 for Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Full UPenn Visual & Performing Arts Report

#6

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts
Top 5% in overall quality

Williams College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 42 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Williams is also in the top of our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Williams is $2,498 for Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Williams College

#16 in overall quality

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 395 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

U-M not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $3,166 for bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Visual & Performing Arts Report

#8

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland
Top 5% in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Johns Hopkins University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Johns Hopkins University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Baltimore, Maryland. It awarded 66 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Johns Hopkins also claimed a top spot on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $3,526 for Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Johns Hopkins University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 Johns Hopkins Visual & Performing Arts Report

#9

Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut
Top 5% in overall quality

Yale University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. New Haven, Connecticut is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to 66 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Yale is also in the top of our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Yale University is $2,125 for Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Yale University

#10

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
#4 in overall quality

Cornell University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Ithaca, New York, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 54 degrees to qualified bachelors’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

Cornell did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $7,484 for Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cornell University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Cornell University

#11

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
#14 in overall quality

Vanderbilt University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. Vanderbilt is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 92 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Vanderbilt, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $3,156 for Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Vanderbilt University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Vanderbilt

#12

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida
Top 10% in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, University of Florida did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Florida is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 298 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

UF also claimed a top spot on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. It costs about $1,994 for bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UF.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low student loan default rate of 2.0% 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 University of Florida Visual & Performing Arts Report

#13

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire
#8 in overall quality

Dartmouth College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Dartmouth College is a medium-sized school located in Hanover, New Hampshire that handed out 67 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Dartmouth not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Dartmouth is $12,052 for Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Dartmouth College

#14

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Top 5% in overall quality

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public institution located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 112 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UNC Chapel Hill also did well on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend UNC Chapel Hill is $4,026 for Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

#15

Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island
Top 15% in overall quality

Brown University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Brown University is a medium-sized school located in Providence, Rhode Island that handed out 96 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Brown also did well on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $201 for Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Brown University.

The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Brown

#16

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
Top 10% in overall quality

University of Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 58 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago excels when it comes to visual and performing arts quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $2,712 for Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Chicago.

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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at UChicago

Top 5% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UW - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 172 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UW - Madison is also in the top of our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Madison is $4,367 for Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at UW - Madison

#18

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#2 in overall quality

University of Notre Dame ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 147 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Notre Dame is $12,498 for Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at University of Notre Dame

#19

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
Top 15% in overall quality

Harvard University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. Harvard is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It awarded 47 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Harvard also did well on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $2,973 for Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Harvard University.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Harvard University Visual & Performing Arts Report

#20

Rice University

Houston, Texas
Top 10% in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, Rice University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 55 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Rice excels when it comes to visual and performing arts quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $3,437 for bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Rice.

The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Rice University

Top 10% in overall quality

University of Washington - Seattle Campus ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Seattle, Washington, and it awarded 287 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

UW Seattle excels when it comes to visual and performing arts quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus is $7,850 for Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 UW Seattle Visual & Performing Arts Report

Top 10% in overall quality

Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 61 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Cooper Union excels when it comes to visual and performing arts quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Cooper Union is $8,481 for Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Cooper Union

Top 10% in overall quality

With a ranking of #23, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 257 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, UIUC is in the top on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $5,477 for bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full UIUC Visual & Performing Arts Report

Top 25% in overall quality

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UT Rio Grande Valley is a large public school situated in Edinburg, Texas. It awarded 171 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is $2,993 for bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at UT Rio Grande Valley

#25

Baruch College

New York, New York

Baruch College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Baruch is a fairly large public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 12 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Baruch College is $1,858 for Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. 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 Visual & Performing Arts at Baruch

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

Hunter College

New York, New York
#27

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida
#29

University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, Maryland
#30

Colorado College

Colorado Springs, Colorado
#31

Hamilton College

Clinton, New York
#33

University of Central Florida

Orlando, Florida
#34

Colgate University

Hamilton, New York
#35

University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Winston-Salem, North Carolina
#36

The City College of New York

New York, New York
#37

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia
#38

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia
#39

Queens College

Queens, New York
#40

Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, New York
#42

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#45

Lehman College

Bronx, New York
#46

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts
#48

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, North Carolina
#50

Brooklyn College

Brooklyn, New York

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY
52 Carleton College Northfield, MN
53 University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CA
53 North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC
55 New York City College of Technology Brooklyn, NY
56 Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, IN
57 Middlebury College Middlebury, VT
58 University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
59 Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA
60 Lafayette College Easton, PA
61 Truman State University Kirksville, MO
62 University of Georgia Athens, GA
63 Michigan State University East Lansing, MI
63 University of North Texas Denton, TX
65 University of South Florida - Main Campus Tampa, FL
Rank College Location
66 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN
67 California State University - Fresno Fresno, CA
68 Towson University Towson, MD
69 California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA
70 Texas A&M International University Laredo, TX
71 University of Wisconsin - La Crosse La Crosse, WI
72 Wellesley College Wellesley, MA
73 University of Minnesota - Morris Morris, MN
74 California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA
75 California State University - Northridge Northridge, CA
76 University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL
77 Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH
78 Iowa State University Ames, IA
79 Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
80 Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
81 University of Virginia - Main Campus Charlottesville, VA
82 Northeastern University Boston, MA
83 Oberlin College Oberlin, OH
84 St Mary’s College of Maryland St. Mary’s City, MD
85 University of California - Riverside Riverside, CA
86 The University of West Florida Pensacola, FL
87 St Olaf College Northfield, MN
88 The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX
89 St Lawrence University Canton, NY
90 Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY
Rank College Location
91 Berea College Berea, KY
92 Dickinson College Carlisle, PA
93 Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX
94 Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TX
95 Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music San Juan, PR
96 University of Wisconsin - Whitewater Whitewater, WI
97 University of California - Davis Davis, CA
98 Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY
99 Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL
100 Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN
101 Smith College Northampton, MA
102 California State University - Dominguez Hills Carson, CA
103 University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI
104 San Diego State University San Diego, CA
105 Appalachian State University Boone, NC
106 Texas Woman’s University Denton, TX
107 Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City, NC
108 College of Staten Island CUNY Staten Island, NY
109 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI
110 University of Wisconsin - Stout Menomonie, WI
111 College of the Holy Cross Worcester, MA
112 University of Wisconsin - Platteville Platteville, WI
113 University of Wyoming Laramie, WY
114 University of Minnesota - Duluth Duluth, MN
115 University of California - Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA
Rank College Location
115 Ball State University Muncie, IN
117 The College of New Jersey Ewing, NJ
118 University of Southern Indiana Evansville, IN
119 Arizona State University - Tempe Tempe, AZ
120 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX
121 Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Stillwater, OK
122 Brigham Young University - Provo Provo, UT
123 University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA
124 California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA
125 Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI

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.

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