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2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

102 Ranked Colleges
19,622 Degrees Awarded
$6,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

With 149,215 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, visual and performing arts is the 10th most popular major in the United States. In 2019-2020, visual and performing arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $26,700 and had an average of $25,051 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 19,622 visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $26,942 and $26,129 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 102 colleges that offer a degree in visual and performing arts. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality visual and performing arts programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the visual and performing arts program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Visual & Performing Arts Schools

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Visual & Performing Arts (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

1
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 378 diplomas to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.

Northwestern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $245 for Great Lakes Region Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Northwestern University

2

Out of the 102 schools in the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 540 degrees to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $2,670 for great lakes region visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. UW - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 457 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison also made our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Madison is $3,981 for great lakes region visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at UW - Madison

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University - Bloomington. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s visual and performing arts degrees to 651 students in 2020-2021.

IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Bloomington is $5,752 for great lakes region visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at IU Bloomington

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 353 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $4,858 for Great Lakes Region Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Visual & Performing Arts Report

6
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Michigan State University is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 380 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Michigan State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State is $6,927 for Great Lakes Region Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Michigan State University Visual & Performing Arts Report

7
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

With a ranking of #7, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. West Lafayette, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s visual and performing arts degrees to 158 students in 2020-2021.

Purdue not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Purdue University - Main Campus is $5,995 for Great Lakes Region Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Purdue

8
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Notre Dame is a fairly large school located in Notre Dame, Indiana that handed out 141 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Notre Dame not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $9,872 for great lakes region visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Notre Dame.

The undergraduate 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. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 Notre Dame Visual & Performing Arts Report

9
Oberlin crest
Oberlin College
Oberlin, Ohio

With a ranking of #9, Oberlin College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Oberlin College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Oberlin, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 174 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Oberlin also took the #6 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $8,756 for Great Lakes Region Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Oberlin.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Oberlin College Visual & Performing Arts Report

10

With a ranking of #10, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 369 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Ohio State also made our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $7,068 for Great Lakes Region Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Ohio State.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, 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.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Ohio State

11

Madison Area Technical College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Madison Area Technical College is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 94 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Madison College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $7,567 for great lakes region visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Madison College.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Madison Area Technical College

12

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. IUPUI is a public institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 168 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is $7,026 for great lakes region visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at IUPUI

13

Sinclair Community College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Sinclair Community College is located in Dayton, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 204 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Sinclair Community College is $3,594 for Great Lakes Region Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Sinclair Community College

14
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

With a ranking of #14, Ball State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Ball State is a public institution located in Muncie, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 232 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Ball State also made our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #23. It costs about $8,273 for Great Lakes Region Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Ball State.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Ball State University Visual & Performing Arts Report

15
Ferris crest
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, Michigan

Ferris State University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Big Rapids, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 165 diplomas to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Ferris State University is $6,577 for great lakes region visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Ferris State University

16

University of Wisconsin - Stout landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 173 degrees to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.

UW - Stout did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Stout is $10,074 for Great Lakes Region Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Wisconsin - Stout Visual & Performing Arts Report

17
Oakland crest
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, Michigan

With a ranking of #17, Oakland University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Oakland University is a fairly large school located in Rochester Hills, Michigan that handed out 153 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $8,949 for Great Lakes Region Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Oakland University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Oakland University

18

With a ranking of #18, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is a fairly large public school situated in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It awarded 32 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UW - La Crosse is $7,517 for great lakes region visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at UW - La Crosse

19

With a ranking of #19, Cuyahoga Community College District did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 90 diplomas to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $3,141 for Great Lakes Region Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cuyahoga Community College District.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Cuyahoga Community College District

20
Ivy Tech Community College crest
Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis, Indiana

Ivy Tech Community College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. Ivy Tech Community College is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 210 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $6,213 for Great Lakes Region Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Ivy Tech Community College.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Ivy Tech Community College

21

Indiana University - South Bend did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #21. Indiana University - South Bend is located in South Bend, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 38 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $5,504 for Great Lakes Region Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Indiana University - South Bend.

Full Indiana University - South Bend Visual & Performing Arts Report

22

University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large public school awarded 190 diplomas to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Chicago is $10,549 for Great Lakes Region Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at University of Illinois at Chicago

23

Milwaukee Area Technical College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. MATC is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 40 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend MATC is $7,167 for great lakes region visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Milwaukee Area Technical College

24

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UC is a large public school situated in Cincinnati, Ohio. It awarded 749 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

UC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $15,061 for great lakes region visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Cincinnati - Main Campus.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, 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 88%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus

25

With a ranking of #25, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. SIUE is a public institution located in Edwardsville, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 80 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $8,047 for Great Lakes Region Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SIUE.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

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