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2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid

40 Ranked Colleges
5,842 Degrees Awarded
$22,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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 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 Getting Aid” 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.

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. 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 Getting Aid”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Visual & Performing Arts in Massachusetts (With Aid)

#1

Holyoke Community College

Holyoke, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Holyoke Community College. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid. Holyoke Community College is a small public school situated in Holyoke, Massachusetts. It awarded 24 ’s visual and performing arts degrees 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 $7,718 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students with aid per year to attend Holyoke Community College.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Holyoke Community College

#2

Springfield Technical Community College

Springfield, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Springfield Technical Community College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid. This small school is located in Springfield, Massachusetts, and it awarded 23 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,943 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students with aid per year to attend STCC.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at STCC

#3

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 #3 for the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 152 diplomas to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts visual & performing arts students with aid list, Harvard has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Harvard is $15,386 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students with aid.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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 Visual & Performing Arts Report

#4

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts

Out of the 40 schools in the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Williams College landed the #4 spot on the list. Williams College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It awarded 57 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Williams also made our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $19,480 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students with aid per year to attend Williams.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Williams Visual & Performing Arts Report

#5

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Bridgewater State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Bridgewater State is a fairly large public school situated in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. It awarded 75 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Bridgewater State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $18,457 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students with aid per year to attend Bridgewater State University.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Bridgewater State

#6

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts

Wellesley College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Wellesley, 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 48 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wellesley, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wellesley is $22,087 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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. The 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 full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Wellesley College

#7

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts

Westfield State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Westfield is a public institution located in Westfield, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 41 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Westfield also made our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #23. The estimated yearly cost for Westfield is $19,167 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

#8

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

North Adams, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #8, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is a small school located in North Adams, Massachusetts that handed out 34 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend MCLA is $16,861 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students with aid.

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.

Full Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Visual & Performing Arts Report

University of Massachusetts - Lowell landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Massachusetts - Lowell is located in Lowell, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 125 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

UMass Lowell did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend UMass Lowell is $19,119 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%.

Full University of Massachusetts - Lowell Visual & Performing Arts Report

#10

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #10, University of Massachusetts Amherst did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Amherst, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s visual and performing arts degrees to 241 students in 2019-2020.

UMass Amherst did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $22,501 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students with aid per year to attend University of Massachusetts Amherst.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at University of Massachusetts Amherst

#11

Salem State University

Salem, Massachusetts

Salem State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. Salem State is located in Salem, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 85 ’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $18,399 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students with aid per year to attend Salem State University.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Salem State University

#12

Framingham State University

Framingham, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #12, Framingham State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. 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.

The estimated yearly cost for Framingham State is $20,001 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students with aid.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Framingham State University

#13

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

North Dartmouth, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, this medium-sized public school awarded 101 diplomas to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth is $18,503 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students with aid.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

#14

University of Massachusetts - Boston

Boston, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Boston landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. This fairly large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 70 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Massachusetts - Boston is $18,340 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students with aid.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at University of Massachusetts - Boston

Massachusetts College of Art and Design ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s visual and performing arts degrees to 374 students in 2019-2020.

Massachusetts College of Art and Design did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Massachusetts College of Art and Design is $24,043 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students with aid.

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.

Full Massachusetts College of Art and Design Visual & Performing Arts Report

#16

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Boston College landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 40 diplomas to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

Boston College also took the #2 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Boston College is $35,899 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students with aid.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Boston College

#17

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, Massachusetts

College of the Holy Cross ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 30 degrees to qualified ’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

Holy Cross also took the #1 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $37,292 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students with aid per year to attend College of the Holy Cross.

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%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Holy Cross Visual & Performing Arts Report

#18

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #18. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s visual and performing arts degrees to 405 students in 2019-2020.

Boston U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Boston University is $30,259 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students with aid.

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. 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 92%.

Full Boston U Visual & Performing Arts Report

#19

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts

Smith College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #19. This small school is located in Northampton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 70 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Smith not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $28,305 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students with aid per year to attend Smith.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Smith

#20

Wheaton College Massachusetts

Norton, Massachusetts

Wheaton College Massachusetts ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. This small school is located in Norton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 74 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Massachusetts also made our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $26,809 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students with aid per year to attend Wheaton College Massachusetts.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Wheaton College Massachusetts

#21

Gordon College

Wenham, Massachusetts

Gordon College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #21. Gordon College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wenham, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 25 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Gordon College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Gordon College is $25,777 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students with aid.

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 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%.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Gordon College

#22

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid 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.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Tufts, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tufts is $30,744 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students with aid.

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%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Tufts Visual & Performing Arts Report

#23

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, Massachusetts

Mount Holyoke College landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in South Hadley, Massachusetts, and it awarded 62 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Mt. Holyoke not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Mt. Holyoke is $27,149 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students with aid.

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. The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Mt. Holyoke

#24

Lasell University

Newton, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #24, Lasell University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Lasell University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Newton, Massachusetts. It awarded 37 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Lasell is $27,428 for Massachusetts Visual & Performing Arts students with aid.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Lasell

#25

Clark University

Worcester, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #25, Clark University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Clark is a small school located in Worcester, Massachusetts that handed out 50 ’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Clark University is $28,805 for massachusetts visual & performing arts students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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 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 more about Visual & Performing Arts at Clark

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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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