2026 Best Value Painting Schools in Ohio
[Painting](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/fine-and-studio-arts/painting/) 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 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for painting students.
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2026 Best Value Painting Schools in Ohio
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the painting degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Painting Schools
Our analysis ranked Shawnee State University the best value for a degree in painting in Ohio. Set in the town of Portsmouth, Shawnee State University is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,448, compared with $16,032 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for painting graduates is $28,750. Soon after graduation, painting degree recipients from Shawnee State University generally make around $42,878. That is a strong return on a $28,750 median debt.
Kent State University At Kent came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value painting schools. Located in the suburb of Kent, Kent State University At Kent is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,220, while out-of-state students pay about $21,575. Students borrow a median of $28,501 to complete the painting program here. Soon after graduation, painting degree recipients from Kent State University At Kent generally make around $44,776. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Ohio University Main Campus came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value painting schools. Located in the town of Athens, Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,158, with out-of-state students paying around $24,838. Typical student debt for painting graduates is $26,000. Early-career painting graduates make about $29,756. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Art Academy Of Cincinnati earned it the #4 place for painting. Set in the city of Cincinnati, Art Academy Of Cincinnati is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $40,007. Painting graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career painting graduates make about $13,252. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 34%.
Cleveland Institute Of Art is a great value for students pursuing a degree in painting, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Cleveland, Cleveland Institute Of Art is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $48,700 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for painting graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, painting degree recipients from Cleveland Institute Of Art generally make around $18,839. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Cleveland Institute Of Art admits about 61% of applicants.
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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 · 5 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.
