2026 Best Value Fine Arts Schools in South Carolina
[Fine Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/fine-and-studio-arts/fine-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 20 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value fine arts schools.
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2026 Best Value Fine Arts Schools in South Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in fine arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Fine Arts Schools
For return on investment in fine arts, no school beat University Of South Carolina Upstate this year. Set in the suburb of Spartanburg, University Of South Carolina Upstate is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,588, compared with $23,090 for out-of-state students. Fine Arts graduates carry a median of $26,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fine arts degree recipients from University Of South Carolina Upstate generally make around $35,203. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 67%.
University Of South Carolina Aiken is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fine arts, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Aiken, University Of South Carolina Aiken is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,760, with out-of-state students paying around $21,218. Students borrow a median of $23,567 to complete the fine arts program here. Early-career fine arts graduates make about $19,963. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of South Carolina Aiken admits about 78% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Coastal Carolina University earned it the #3 place for fine arts. Coastal Carolina University is a large public school located in the city of Conway. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,640, compared with $29,628 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the fine arts program here. Fine Arts graduates of Coastal Carolina University earn a median of $23,121 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 75%.
Lander University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value fine arts schools. Set in the town of Greenwood, Lander University is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,700, compared with $21,300 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,937 to complete the fine arts program here. Fine Arts graduates of Lander University earn a median of $21,605 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 81%.
A rank of #5 makes University Of South Carolina Beaufort one of the best values for fine arts. Located in the town of Bluffton, University Of South Carolina Beaufort is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $10,730 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $21,776. Fine Arts graduates carry a median of $27,971 in student loans. Fine Arts graduates of University Of South Carolina Beaufort earn a median of $38,254 early in their careers. Set against $27,971 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 72%.
College Of Charleston came in at #6 for value in fine arts this year. Located in the city of Charleston, College Of Charleston is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,978, compared with $38,296 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fine arts graduates is $21,500. Soon after graduation, fine arts degree recipients from College Of Charleston generally make around $24,070. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 60%.
Converse College ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value fine arts schools. Located in the city of Spartanburg, Converse College is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $25,240. Students borrow a median of $26,715 to complete the fine arts program here. Soon after graduation, fine arts degree recipients from Converse College generally make around $38,940. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Converse College admits about 68% of applicants.
Clemson University ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value fine arts schools. Located in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,554, while out-of-state students pay about $40,866. Students borrow a median of $23,783 to complete the fine arts program here. Early-career fine arts graduates make about $53,834. Set against $23,783 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 38%.
University Of South Carolina Columbia landed the #9 spot for fine arts value this year. Set in the city of Columbia, University Of South Carolina Columbia is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,688 in tuition and fees, compared with $36,298 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fine arts graduates is $27,000. Early-career fine arts graduates make about $27,467. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
Anderson University Sc earned the #10 position for value in fine arts this year. Set in the city of Anderson, Anderson University Sc is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $34,970. Fine Arts graduates carry a median of $28,034 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fine arts degree recipients from Anderson University Sc generally make around $49,036. That is a strong return on a $28,034 median debt. Anderson University Sc admits about 55% of applicants.
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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 · 20 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
