2027 Best Value Photography Schools in Michigan
[Photography](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/film-video-and-photographic-arts/photography/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for photography students.
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2027 Best Value Photography Schools in Michigan
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in photography, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Photography Schools
Our analysis ranked Oakland Community College the best value for a degree in photography in Michigan. Oakland Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Auburn Hills. In-state tuition and fees average $3,120, compared with $5,560 for out-of-state students. Photography graduates carry a median of $15,865 in student loans. Soon after graduation, photography degree recipients from Oakland Community College generally make around $43,205. That is a strong return on a $15,865 median debt.
A rank of #2 makes Oakland University one of the best values for photography. Oakland University is a large public school located in the suburb of Rochester Hills. In-state tuition and fees average $17,167, with out-of-state students paying around $24,735. Typical student debt for photography graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, photography degree recipients from Oakland University generally make around $22,011. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Grand Valley State University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value photography schools. Set in the town of Allendale, Grand Valley State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,502, with out-of-state students paying around $21,894. Students borrow a median of $25,899 to complete the photography program here. Photography graduates of Grand Valley State University earn a median of $25,256 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,899 median debt. Grand Valley State University admits about 83% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at College For Creative Studies earned it the #4 place for photography. Set in the city of Detroit, College For Creative Studies is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $53,350 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for photography graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, photography degree recipients from College For Creative Studies generally make around $24,350. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. College For Creative Studies admits about 92% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 4 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.
