---

2026 Best Value Art Education Schools in Montana

[Art Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/art-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for art education students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Art Education Schools in Montana

2026 Best Value Art Education Schools in Montana

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in art education, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Art Education Schools

1

Montana State University Billings
Billings, MT

$7,280 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,465 Avg Student Debt

$44,296 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is Montana State University Billings, our #1 best value for art education in Montana. Located in the city of Billings, Montana State University Billings is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,280, with out-of-state students paying around $22,897. Students borrow a median of $25,465 to complete the art education program here. Art Education graduates of Montana State University Billings earn a median of $39,422 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,465 median debt.

2

The University Of Montana Western
Dillon, MT

$6,669 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,557 Avg Student Debt

$43,229 Median Earnings (10yr)

A rank of #2 makes The University Of Montana Western one of the best values for art education. Located in the town of Dillon, The University Of Montana Western is a small public university. Students from in state pay about $6,669 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $20,130. Students borrow a median of $22,557 to complete the art education program here. Soon after graduation, art education degree recipients from The University Of Montana Western generally make around $38,151. That is a strong return on a $22,557 median debt. The University Of Montana Western admits about 100% of applicants.

View All Art Education Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced 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 · 3 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.