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

24 Ranked Colleges
2,858 Degrees Awarded
$14,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

With 155,377 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, visual and performing arts is the 10th most popular major in the United States. 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 Tennessee, there were 2,858 visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 24 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.

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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our 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 Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 24 Best Value Colleges for Visual & Performing Arts (Income $0-$30k) in Tennessee

#1

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Vanderbilt University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Vanderbilt University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 92 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Vanderbilt also took the #1 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Vanderbilt University is $3,156 for tennessee visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

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. 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 student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Vanderbilt University Visual & Performing Arts Report

#2

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Middle Tennessee State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Middle Tennessee State University is a large public school situated in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It awarded 466 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, Middle Tennessee State University has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $8,919 for tennessee visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Middle Tennessee State University.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Middle Tennessee State University

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k. The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga is a fairly large public school situated in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It awarded 88 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Chattanooga did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for UT Chattanooga is $8,108 for tennessee visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full UT Chattanooga Visual & Performing Arts Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Tennessee - Martin. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. UT Martin is a medium-sized school located in Martin, Tennessee that handed out 35 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Martin, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Tennessee - Martin is $7,524 for tennessee visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full UT Martin Visual & Performing Arts Report

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Tennessee - Knoxville landed the #5 spot on the list. UT Knoxville is a large school located in Knoxville, Tennessee that handed out 174 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Knoxville also made our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $10,224 for Tennessee Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UT Knoxville.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 full report on Visual & Performing Arts at The University of Tennessee - Knoxville

#6

Rhodes College

Memphis, Tennessee

Rhodes College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Rhodes College is located in Memphis, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 19 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

Rhodes College also made our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend Rhodes College is $16,870 for Tennessee Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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.

Full Rhodes College Visual & Performing Arts Report

#7

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville, Tennessee

Tennessee Technological University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Tennessee Tech University is a fairly large school located in Cookeville, Tennessee that handed out 56 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Tennessee Tech University also took the #6 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $11,641 for Tennessee Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Tennessee Technological University.

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 Tennessee Technological University

#8

Chattanooga State Community College

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga State Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. Chattanooga State Community College is located in Chattanooga, Tennessee and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 65 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

Chattanooga State Community College also took the #21 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $5,986 for tennessee visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Chattanooga State Community College.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Chattanooga State Community College

#9

Nashville State Community College

Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville State Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Nashville State Community College is a medium-sized school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 36 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Nashville State Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Nashville State Community College is $7,139 for Tennessee Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Nashville State Community College

#10

Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville, Tennessee

Trevecca Nazarene University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 26 degrees to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at TNU, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Trevecca Nazarene University is $15,228 for tennessee visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Trevecca Nazarene University Visual & Performing Arts Report

#11

East Tennessee State University

Johnson City, Tennessee

East Tennessee State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Johnson City, Tennessee, and it awarded 98 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

ETSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend ETSU is $10,632 for Tennessee Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at East Tennessee State University

#12

University of Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee

University of Memphis ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, this large public school awarded 165 diplomas to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

UofM also took the #15 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $10,256 for Tennessee Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Memphis.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at UofM

#13

Tennessee State University

Nashville, Tennessee

Tennessee State University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 19 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Tennessee State University, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Tennessee State University is $11,015 for Tennessee Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

#14

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, Tennessee

Austin Peay State University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Clarksville, Tennessee, and it awarded 102 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Austin Peay State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Austin Peay State University is $10,909 for tennessee visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Austin Peay State University Visual & Performing Arts Report

#15

Freed-Hardeman University

Henderson, Tennessee

Freed-Hardeman University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. FHU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Henderson, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 21 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

FHU also made our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for Freed-Hardeman University is $13,512 for Tennessee Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Freed-Hardeman University

#16

Belmont University

Nashville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #16, Belmont University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 761 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Belmont did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Belmont University is $25,980 for Tennessee Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.0% 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 Belmont University Visual & Performing Arts Report

#17

Lee University

Cleveland, Tennessee

Lee University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Lee University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Cleveland, Tennessee. It awarded 54 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lee University, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lee University is $13,841 for Tennessee Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Lee University

#18

Milligan University

Milligan College, Tennessee

Milligan University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Milligan College, Tennessee, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 10 diplomas to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

Milligan also took the #18 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $14,089 for Tennessee Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Milligan.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Milligan Visual & Performing Arts Report

#19

Lipscomb University

Nashville, Tennessee

Lipscomb University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. This small school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 63 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, Lipscomb has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $20,036 for Tennessee Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Lipscomb.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Lipscomb Visual & Performing Arts Report

#20

Southern Adventist University

Collegedale, Tennessee

Southern Adventist University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Collegedale, Tennessee 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 22 students in 2019-2020.

Southern Adventist did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $19,346 for tennessee visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Southern Adventist University.

Full Southern Adventist University Visual & Performing Arts Report

#21

Union University

Jackson, Tennessee

With a ranking of #21, Union University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Union University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Jackson, Tennessee. It awarded 22 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Union also made our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for Union is $26,079 for Tennessee Visual & Performing Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 4.1% 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%.

Full Union University Visual & Performing Arts Report

#22

Nossi College of Art

Madison, Tennessee
#24 in overall quality

Nossi College of Art came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Nossi College of Art is a private for-profit institution located in Madison, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 60 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Nossi College of Art also took the #24 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Nossi College of Art is $20,776 for tennessee visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 Nossi College of Art

#23

SAE Institute - Nashville

Nashville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #23, SAE Institute - Nashville did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this small private for-profit school awarded 17 degrees to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

SAE Institute - Nashville not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend SAE Institute - Nashville is $41,373 for tennessee 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 100%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at SAE Institute - Nashville

#24

Visible Music College

Memphis, Tennessee
#23 in overall quality

Visible Music College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Visible Music College is located in Memphis, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 15 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our tennessee visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, Visible Music College has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $21,073 for tennessee visual & performing arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Visible Music 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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Visible Music College

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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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