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2026 Best Value Make-Up Artist/Specialist Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the make-up artist/specialist degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Make-Up Artist/Specialist Schools
Our analysis ranked San Juan College the best value for a degree in make-up artist/specialist in the United States. Set in the rural area of Farmington, San Juan College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $1,910 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $5,393. Make-Up Artist/specialist graduates carry a median of $16,150 in student loans. Make-Up Artist/specialist graduates of San Juan College earn a median of $41,697 early in their careers. Set against $16,150 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in make-up artist/specialist will find it at Mesa Community College, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Mesa, Mesa Community College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,358, compared with $8,959 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for make-up artist/specialist graduates is $13,750. Soon after graduation, make-up artist/specialist degree recipients from Mesa Community College generally make around $54,730. Set against $13,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #3 makes Douglas Education Center one of the best values for make-up artist/specialist. Douglas Education Center is a small private for-profit school located in the town of Monessen. In-state tuition and fees average $19,450. Make-Up Artist/specialist graduates carry a median of $12,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, make-up artist/specialist degree recipients from Douglas Education Center generally make around $19,347. Set against $12,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Other Make-Up Artist/Specialist Degree Levels
Explore the best-value make-up artist/specialist schools at other degree levels:
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 33 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.
ADBLOCK #116
[Make-Up Artist/Specialist](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/cosmetology/make-up-artist-specialist/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong make-up artist/specialist education at a price that pays off.
