[Visual & Performing Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong visual & performing arts education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 12 schools to find the best return on investment for visual & performing arts students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the visual & performing arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
The University Of Montana earned the #1 spot for value among visual & performing arts schools in Montana. The University Of Montana is a large public school located in the city of Missoula. Students from in state pay about $8,552 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $33,671. Visual & Performing Arts graduates carry a median of $26,899 in student loans. Early-career visual & performing arts graduates make about $22,590. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 96%.
Montana State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in visual & performing arts, landing the #2 spot this year. Montana State University is a large public school located in the city of Bozeman. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,460, while out-of-state students pay about $33,287. Typical student debt for visual & performing arts graduates is $23,450. Early-career visual & performing arts graduates make about $34,125. Set against $23,450 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
More Visual & Performing Arts Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
