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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general visual & performing arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Our analysis ranked Harvard University the best value for a degree in general visual & performing arts in Massachusetts. Set in the city of Cambridge, Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $61,676 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $16,616 to complete the general visual & performing arts program here. Soon after graduation, general visual & performing arts degree recipients from Harvard University generally make around $115,516. Set against $16,616 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Harvard University admits about 4% of applicants.
University Of Massachusetts Dartmouth came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value general visual & performing arts schools. University Of Massachusetts Dartmouth is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of North Dartmouth. In-state tuition and fees average $15,612, while out-of-state students pay about $32,567. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general visual & performing arts program here. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates of University Of Massachusetts Dartmouth earn a median of $25,753 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 91%.
Lesley University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value general visual & performing arts schools. Set in the city of Cambridge, Lesley University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $34,256. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the general visual & performing arts program here. Soon after graduation, general visual & performing arts degree recipients from Lesley University generally make around $20,600. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Lesley University admits about 97% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general visual & performing arts will find it at Northeastern University, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Boston, Northeastern University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $66,162. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates carry a median of $25,611 in student loans. General Visual & Performing Arts graduates of Northeastern University earn a median of $27,246 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,611 median debt. Northeastern University admits about 5% of applicants.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 20 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
ADBLOCK #116
[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 best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
