2026 Best Value Fine & Studio Arts Schools in Alabama

[Fine & Studio Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/fine-and-studio-arts/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong fine & studio arts education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 19 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for fine & studio arts students.
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2026 Best Value Fine & Studio Arts Schools in Alabama
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in fine & studio arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Fine & Studio Arts Schools
University Of North Alabama tops our 2026 list of the best value fine & studio arts schools in Alabama. University Of North Alabama is a large public school located in the city of Florence. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,120, with out-of-state students paying around $22,320. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $24,291 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from University Of North Alabama generally make around $41,357. That is a strong return on a $24,291 median debt. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Auburn University At Montgomery came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value fine & studio arts schools. Auburn University At Montgomery is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Montgomery. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,700, with out-of-state students paying around $20,668. Students borrow a median of $30,000 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from Auburn University At Montgomery generally make around $18,223. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 92%.
Jacksonville State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fine & studio arts, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Jacksonville, Jacksonville State University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,894, compared with $23,334 for out-of-state students. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $24,625 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from Jacksonville State University generally make around $20,826. That is a strong return on a $24,625 median debt. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of South Alabama earned it the #4 place for fine & studio arts. Set in the city of Mobile, University Of South Alabama is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,116, with out-of-state students paying around $19,092. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $30,066 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from University Of South Alabama generally make around $20,527. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of South Alabama admits about 71% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in fine & studio arts will find it at University Of Montevallo, which ranked #5. University Of Montevallo is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Montevallo. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,948, while out-of-state students pay about $26,968. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $25,150. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 54%.
University Of Alabama At Birmingham placed #6 among the best values for fine & studio arts. Located in the city of Birmingham, University Of Alabama At Birmingham is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,098, while out-of-state students pay about $22,562. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $25,000. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from University Of Alabama At Birmingham generally make around $30,809. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Alabama At Birmingham admits about 88% of applicants.
University Of Alabama At Huntsville landed the #7 spot for fine & studio arts value this year. Set in the city of Huntsville, University Of Alabama At Huntsville is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,132, with out-of-state students paying around $26,408. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $35,123. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 69%.
The University Of Alabama landed the #8 spot for fine & studio arts value this year. Set in the city of Tuscaloosa, The University Of Alabama is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,180, with out-of-state students paying around $34,172. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $25,000. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of The University Of Alabama earn a median of $21,836 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The University Of Alabama admits about 77% of applicants.
Auburn University earned the #9 position for value in fine & studio arts this year. Located in the city of Auburn, Auburn University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,890, while out-of-state students pay about $34,922. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $22,803. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Auburn University earn a median of $55,422 early in their careers. Set against $22,803 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Auburn University admits about 46% of applicants.
More Fine & Studio Arts Rankings
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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 · 19 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.