2026 Best Value Art History Schools in District of Columbia
[Art History](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/fine-and-studio-arts/art-history/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for art history students.
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2026 Best Value Art History Schools in District of Columbia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the art history degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Art History Schools
George Washington University tops our 2026 list of the best value art history schools in District of Columbia. Set in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $67,710. Typical student debt for art history graduates is $22,910. Art History graduates of George Washington University earn a median of $73,749 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 47%.
Georgetown University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value art history schools. Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. In-state tuition and fees average $68,089. Art History graduates carry a median of $16,483 in student loans. Early-career art history graduates make about $79,632. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 13%.
American University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in art history, landing the #3 spot this year. American University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $58,771. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the art history program here. Art History graduates of American University earn a median of $35,197 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. American University admits about 62% of applicants.
Howard University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in art history, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Washington, Howard University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $35,810. Typical student debt for art history graduates is $25,498. Art History graduates of Howard University earn a median of $58,495 early in their careers. Set against $25,498 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 41% of applicants are accepted.
More Art History Rankings
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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 · 5 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.
