2026 Best Value Painting Schools in Missouri
[Painting](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/fine-and-studio-arts/painting/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
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:
2026 Best Value Painting Schools in Missouri
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the painting degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Painting Schools
For return on investment in painting, no school beat Washington University In St Louis this year. Located in the suburb of St. Louis, Washington University In St Louis is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $65,790 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $17,553 to complete the painting program here. Painting graduates of Washington University In St Louis earn a median of $68,303 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $17,553 median debt. Roughly 12% of applicants are accepted.
Kansas City Art Institute came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value painting schools. Located in the city of Kansas City, Kansas City Art Institute is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $44,550 in tuition and fees. Painting graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Painting graduates of Kansas City Art Institute earn a median of $22,906 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Kansas City Art Institute 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 · 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.
