2026 Best Value Illustration Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
[Illustration](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/illustration/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong illustration education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value illustration schools.
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Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
2026 Best Value Illustration Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in illustration, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Illustration Schools
For return on investment in illustration, no school beat Brigham Young University Idaho this year. Located in the town of Rexburg, Brigham Young University Idaho is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,800. Typical student debt for illustration graduates is $13,287. Soon after graduation, illustration degree recipients from Brigham Young University Idaho generally make around $43,853. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 96%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Salt Lake Community College earned it the #2 place for illustration. Salt Lake Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Salt Lake City. In-state tuition and fees average $4,426, compared with $14,244 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $10,766 to complete the illustration program here. Illustration graduates of Salt Lake Community College earn a median of $34,227 early in their careers. Set against $10,766 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #3 makes Brigham Young University Provo one of the best values for illustration. Set in the city of Provo, Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,688. Illustration graduates carry a median of $13,000 in student loans. Early-career illustration graduates make about $33,915. That is a strong return on a $13,000 median debt. Brigham Young University Provo admits about 68% of applicants.
Rocky Mountain College Of Art And Design is a great value for students pursuing a degree in illustration, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Lakewood, Rocky Mountain College Of Art And Design is a mid-sized private for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $20,190 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for illustration graduates is $46,544. Illustration graduates of Rocky Mountain College Of Art And Design earn a median of $29,829 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
