[Visual & Performing Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for visual & performing arts students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the visual & performing arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Leading the list is College Of Southern Nevada, our #1 best value for visual & performing arts in Nevada. Located in the city of Las Vegas, College Of Southern Nevada is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $4,358 in tuition and fees, compared with $13,024 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $9,500 to complete the visual & performing arts program here. Soon after graduation, visual & performing arts degree recipients from College Of Southern Nevada generally make around $35,850. Set against $9,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Truckee Meadows Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value visual & performing arts schools. Set in the city of Reno, Truckee Meadows Community College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,352, while out-of-state students pay about $12,018. Visual & Performing Arts graduates carry a median of $12,290 in student loans. Soon after graduation, visual & performing arts degree recipients from Truckee Meadows Community College generally make around $52,785. Set against $12,290 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of Nevada Las Vegas is a great value for students pursuing a degree in visual & performing arts, landing the #3 spot this year. University Of Nevada Las Vegas is a very large public school located in the city of Las Vegas. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,748, compared with $27,411 for out-of-state students. Visual & Performing Arts graduates carry a median of $26,678 in student loans. Early-career visual & performing arts graduates make about $35,081. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Nevada State College one of the best values for visual & performing arts. Set in the rural area of Henderson, Nevada State College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,765, compared with $21,833 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for visual & performing arts graduates is $25,892. Early-career visual & performing arts graduates make about $52,519. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Nevada Reno earned it the #5 place for visual & performing arts. University Of Nevada Reno is a very large public school located in the city of Reno. Students from in state pay about $9,578 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $27,720. Typical student debt for visual & performing arts graduates is $25,709. Early-career visual & performing arts graduates make about $24,906. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
