2026 Best Value Photography Schools in the The Plains States Region
[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 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 16 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for photography students.
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2026 Best Value Photography Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in photography, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Photography Schools
Leading the list is Washington University In St Louis, our #1 best value for photography in the The Plains States Region. Set in the suburb of St. Louis, Washington University In St Louis is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $65,790 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $17,553 to complete the photography program here. Photography 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.
A rank of #2 makes Minneapolis College Of Art And Design one of the best values for photography. Minneapolis College Of Art And Design is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Minneapolis. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,484. Typical student debt for photography graduates is $27,000. Photography graduates of Minneapolis College Of Art And Design earn a median of $26,156 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 48% of applicants are accepted.
Webster University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value photography schools. Set in the suburb of Saint Louis, Webster University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $31,750. Students borrow a median of $23,700 to complete the photography program here. Soon after graduation, photography degree recipients from Webster University generally make around $19,071. Set against $23,700 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 16 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.
