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2022 Best Value Colleges for Visual & Performing Arts (Income $0-$30k) in Massachusetts

40 Ranked Colleges
5,842 Degrees Awarded
$11,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts 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 in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Visual & Performing Arts is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 10th of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 155,377 degrees were awarded to students with this major. 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.

Across Massachusetts, there were 5,842 visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,451 and $27,325 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 40 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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 in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k”.

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 Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k

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

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Visual & Performing Arts (Income $0-$30k) in Massachusetts

#1

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts

Out of the 40 schools in the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Williams College landed the #1 spot on the list. Williamstown, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s visual and performing arts degrees to 57 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Williams, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $2,498 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Williams College.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Williams College

#2

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Harvard University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k. Harvard is a large school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 152 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Harvard also made our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for Harvard is $2,973 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 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.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Harvard

#3

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Tufts University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Medford, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s visual and performing arts degrees to 124 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, Tufts has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tufts is $5,267 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Tufts University Visual & Performing Arts Report

#4

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Out of the 40 schools in the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Boston College landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 40 degrees to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, Boston College has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $6,353 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Boston College.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Boston College

#5

Holyoke Community College

Holyoke, Massachusetts

Out of the 40 schools in the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Holyoke Community College landed the #5 spot on the list. Holyoke, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s visual and performing arts degrees to 24 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Holyoke Community College, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $6,366 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Holyoke Community College.

Full Holyoke Community College Visual & Performing Arts Report

#6

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts

Wellesley College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Wellesley College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wellesley, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 48 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wellesley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $8,785 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Wellesley.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Wellesley College Visual & Performing Arts Report

#7

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts

Northeastern University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northeastern is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 138 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

Northeastern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $10,239 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northeastern University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Northeastern University Visual & Performing Arts Report

#8

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts

Smith College landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Smith is located in Northampton, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 70 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

Smith did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $6,075 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Smith College.

The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Smith College

#9

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, Massachusetts

College of the Holy Cross came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 30 degrees to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, Holy Cross has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $15,036 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend College of the Holy Cross.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at College of the Holy Cross

#10

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Boston U is a private not-for-profit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 405 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Boston U also took the #5 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Boston U is $12,903 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Boston University

#11

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts

Brandeis University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Waltham, Massachusetts, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 65 diplomas to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Brandeis, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Brandeis is $13,567 for massachusetts 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 90%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Brandeis

#12

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts Amherst came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Amherst, Massachusetts, and it awarded 241 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMass Amherst, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $13,137 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMass Amherst.

The low student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at UMass Amherst

#13

Springfield Technical Community College

Springfield, Massachusetts

Springfield Technical Community College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Springfield Technical Community College is a public institution located in Springfield, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 23 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $7,914 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend STCC.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Springfield Technical Community College

#14

University of Massachusetts - Lowell

Lowell, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Lowell did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. University of Massachusetts - Lowell is a fairly large school located in Lowell, Massachusetts that handed out 125 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMass Lowell, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts - Lowell is $11,560 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Massachusetts - Lowell Visual & Performing Arts Report

#15

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, Massachusetts

Mount Holyoke College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in South Hadley, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 62 degrees to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

Mt. Holyoke also made our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for Mt. Holyoke is $12,063 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Mount Holyoke College

#16

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Bridgewater State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. This fairly large school is located in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and it awarded 75 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Bridgewater State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Bridgewater State University is $13,332 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Bridgewater State University

#17

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #17, Westfield State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Westfield, Massachusetts, and it awarded 41 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Westfield did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Westfield is $12,672 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Westfield State University

#18

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

North Adams, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #18, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. MCLA is a public institution located in North Adams, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 34 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is $12,587 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

#19

Framingham State University

Framingham, Massachusetts

Framingham State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Framingham State University is a public institution located in Framingham, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 25 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,612 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Framingham State University.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Framingham State University

#20

Salem State University

Salem, Massachusetts

Salem State University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Salem State is a public institution located in Salem, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 85 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Salem State University is $14,593 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Salem State University

With a ranking of #21, Massachusetts College of Art and Design did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Massachusetts College of Art and Design is a small public school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 374 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Massachusetts College of Art and Design also made our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $18,422 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Massachusetts College of Art and Design.

The impressive 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.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Massachusetts College of Art and Design

#22

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

North Dartmouth, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #22, University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth is a public institution located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 101 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth is $13,925 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth Visual & Performing Arts Report

#23

Wheaton College Massachusetts

Norton, Massachusetts

Wheaton College Massachusetts did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #23. Wheaton College Massachusetts is a small school located in Norton, Massachusetts that handed out 74 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Massachusetts also took the #16 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Massachusetts is $20,511 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, 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 87%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Wheaton College Massachusetts

#24

University of Massachusetts - Boston

Boston, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #24, University of Massachusetts - Boston did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. UMass Boston is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 70 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $13,859 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMass Boston.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at UMass Boston

#25

Clark University

Worcester, Massachusetts

Clark University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Clark is located in Worcester, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 50 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $22,734 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Clark.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive 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.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Clark University

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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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