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2026 Best Value Painting Schools in Rhode Island

[Painting](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/fine-and-studio-arts/painting/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for painting students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Painting Schools in Rhode Island

2026 Best Value Painting Schools in Rhode Island

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

Best Value Painting Schools

1

Rhode Island College
Providence, RI

$11,300 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,500 Avg Student Debt

$56,318 Median Earnings (10yr)

Our analysis ranked Rhode Island College the best value for a degree in painting in Rhode Island. Rhode Island College is a large public school located in the suburb of Providence. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,300, compared with $27,299 for out-of-state students. Painting graduates carry a median of $23,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, painting degree recipients from Rhode Island College generally make around $28,241. That is a strong return on a $23,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 92%.

2

Rhode Island School Of Design
Providence, RI

$62,688 In-State Tuition & Fees

$27,000 Avg Student Debt

$68,140 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Rhode Island School Of Design earned it the #2 place for painting. Rhode Island School Of Design is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Providence. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $62,688. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the painting program here. Painting graduates of Rhode Island School Of Design earn a median of $22,396 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 19% of applicants are accepted.

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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 · 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.