Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Visual & Performing Arts

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Colorado

14 Ranked Colleges
1,430 Degrees Awarded
$18,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor's in Colorado

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Colorado” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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 Colorado, there were 2,140 visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $27,200 and $26,437 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,430 visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,261 and $25,672 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Colorado” ranking analyzed 14 colleges that offered 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

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Colorado” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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 for a Bachelor’s in Colorado

The colleges and universities below are the best for colorado bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

Top 14 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Visual & Performing Arts in Colorado

#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Colorado State University - Fort Collins. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Colorado. Colorado State University - Fort Collins is a large public school situated in Fort Collins, Colorado. It awarded 162 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our colorado bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students list, Colorado State has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Colorado” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Colorado State is $18,668 for colorado bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, 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 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Colorado State University - Fort Collins

#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Northern Colorado. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Colorado list. Greeley, Colorado is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to 181 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our colorado bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students list, University of Northern Colorado has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Colorado” ranking. It costs about $15,714 for colorado bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students per year to attend University of Northern Colorado.

Full University of Northern Colorado Visual & Performing Arts Report

#5 in overall quality

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Colorado that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus landed the #3 spot on the list. CU Anschutz is a large school located in Denver, Colorado that handed out 217 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

CU Anschutz did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Colorado” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus is $15,358 for Colorado Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

#4

Western Colorado University

Gunnison, Colorado
#8 in overall quality

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Colorado that were part of this year’s ranking, Western Colorado University landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Gunnison, Colorado, this small public school handed out 35 degrees to qualified bachelors’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

Western also took the #8 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Colorado” ranking. It costs about $17,282 for colorado bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students per year to attend Western.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Western

#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Colorado Boulder. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Colorado list. This large school is located in Boulder, Colorado, and it awarded 233 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

CU - Boulder also took the #3 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Colorado” ranking. It costs about $21,680 for colorado bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students per year to attend CU - Boulder.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at CU - Boulder

#6

Fort Lewis College

Durango, Colorado
#9 in overall quality

Fort Lewis College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Colorado ranking, coming in at #6. Durango, Colorado is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to 52 students in 2019-2020.

FLC also made our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Colorado” list, coming in at #9. It costs about $16,274 for Colorado Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students per year to attend FLC.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at FLC

#11 in overall quality

Metropolitan State University of Denver landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Colorado ranking. MSU Denver is a fairly large school located in Denver, Colorado that handed out 145 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our colorado bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students list, MSU Denver has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Colorado” ranking. The yearly cost to attend MSU Denver is $14,257 for colorado bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Metropolitan State University of Denver

#8

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, Colorado
#10 in overall quality

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Colorado ranking. University of Colorado at Colorado Springs is a public institution located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 42 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UCCS also made our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Colorado” list, coming in at #10. The estimated yearly cost for University of Colorado at Colorado Springs is $16,486 for Colorado Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UCCS Visual & Performing Arts Report

#9

Colorado Mesa University

Grand Junction, Colorado
#12 in overall quality

Colorado Mesa University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Colorado list. Colorado Mesa is a medium-sized public school situated in Grand Junction, Colorado. It awarded 61 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Colorado Mesa, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Colorado” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Colorado Mesa is $15,569 for colorado bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

Full Colorado Mesa Visual & Performing Arts Report

#13 in overall quality

Colorado State University - Pueblo did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Colorado ranking, coming in at #10. Colorado State University - Pueblo is a public institution located in Pueblo, Colorado. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Colorado State University - Pueblo not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Colorado” list. The yearly cost to attend Colorado State University - Pueblo is $14,653 for colorado bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Colorado State University - Pueblo

#6 in overall quality

Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Colorado ranking, coming in at #11. Lakewood, Colorado is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to 128 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at RMCAD, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Colorado” ranking. It costs about $25,334 for colorado bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students per year to attend Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design.

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 RMCAD Visual & Performing Arts Report

#12

Adams State University

Alamosa, Colorado
#14 in overall quality

Adams State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Colorado ranking. Located in Alamosa, Colorado, this small public school awarded 27 degrees to qualified bachelors’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Adams State, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Colorado” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Adams State is $14,064 for colorado bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Adams State University

#13

University of Denver

Denver, Colorado
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, University of Denver did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Colorado list. University of Denver is a fairly large school located in Denver, Colorado that handed out 86 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

DU also took the #7 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Colorado” ranking. The yearly cost to attend DU is $32,361 for Colorado Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at University of Denver

#14

Colorado College

Colorado Springs, Colorado
#1 in overall quality

Colorado College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Colorado ranking. This small school is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Colorado College also took the #1 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Colorado” ranking. It costs about $26,753 for Colorado Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students per year to attend Colorado College.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full Colorado College Visual & Performing Arts Report

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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.

Credits

Featured Schools

Find Schools Near You