[General Visual & Performing Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/general-visual-performing-arts/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general visual & performing arts education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 14 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value general visual & performing arts schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general visual & performing arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked Washtenaw Community College the best value for a degree in general visual & performing arts in Michigan. Washtenaw Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Ann Arbor. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,736, compared with $6,504 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general visual & performing arts graduates is $17,616. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates of Washtenaw Community College earn a median of $45,332 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $17,616 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Central Michigan University earned it the #2 place for general visual & performing arts. Located in the town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,480. Students borrow a median of $27,857 to complete the general visual & performing arts program here. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates of Central Michigan University earn a median of $50,688 early in their careers. Set against $27,857 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Michigan State University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value general visual & performing arts schools. Michigan State University is a very large public school located in the city of East Lansing. In-state tuition and fees average $18,079, compared with $44,850 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,213 to complete the general visual & performing arts program here. Early-career general visual & performing arts graduates make about $54,166. That is a strong return on a $25,213 median debt. The acceptance rate is 85%.
More General Visual & Performing 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 · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
