2026 Best Value Fine & Studio Arts Schools in Michigan
[Fine & Studio Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/fine-and-studio-arts/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 47 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for fine & studio arts students.
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2026 Best Value Fine & Studio Arts Schools in Michigan
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the fine & studio arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Fine & Studio Arts Schools
Delta College earned the #1 spot for value among fine & studio arts schools in Michigan. Set in the rural area of University Center, Delta College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,820, with out-of-state students paying around $7,880. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $14,075. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Delta College earn a median of $37,342 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Schoolcraft College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fine & studio arts, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Livonia, Schoolcraft College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,799, while out-of-state students pay about $6,501. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $15,677 in student loans. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $46,283. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Grand Rapids Community College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value fine & studio arts schools. Grand Rapids Community College is a large public school located in the city of Grand Rapids. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,179, with out-of-state students paying around $12,219. Students borrow a median of $11,780 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $41,689. Set against $11,780 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fine & studio arts, landing the #4 spot this year. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. Students from in state pay about $18,848 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $63,081. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $19,319 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from University Of Michigan Ann Arbor generally make around $31,367. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor admits about 16% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Ferris State University earned it the #5 place for fine & studio arts. Set in the town of Big Rapids, Ferris State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,778. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $24,540. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Ferris State University admits about 91% of applicants.
Oakland University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value fine & studio arts schools. Set in the suburb of Rochester Hills, Oakland University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $17,167, while out-of-state students pay about $24,735. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $25,972. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from Oakland University generally make around $22,840. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Wayne State University placed #7 among the best values for fine & studio arts. Set in the city of Detroit, Wayne State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,159, while out-of-state students pay about $34,650. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $31,000. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from Wayne State University generally make around $20,948. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
Central Michigan University came in at #8 for value in fine & studio arts this year. Set in the town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,480. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $18,117. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Eastern Michigan University earned the #9 position for value in fine & studio arts this year. Located in the suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,990. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $27,250. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from Eastern Michigan University generally make around $28,890. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
Grand Valley State University came in at #10 for value in fine & studio arts this year. Grand Valley State University is a very large public school located in the town of Allendale. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,502, with out-of-state students paying around $21,894. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $24,135. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 83%.
Northern Michigan University came in at #11 for value in fine & studio arts this year. Located in the town of Marquette, Northern Michigan University is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,322, while out-of-state students pay about $19,944. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from Northern Michigan University generally make around $23,786. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 84%.
Kalamazoo College came in at #12 for value in fine & studio arts this year. Located in the city of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo College is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $60,900. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $26,118. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Kalamazoo College earn a median of $37,374 early in their careers. Set against $26,118 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Kalamazoo College admits about 75% of applicants.
Western Michigan University earned the #13 position for value in fine & studio arts this year. Set in the city of Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,987, compared with $19,952 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $28,495 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $21,773. That is a strong return on a $28,495 median debt. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Aquinas College Michigan earned the #14 position for value in fine & studio arts this year. Located in the city of Grand Rapids, Aquinas College Michigan is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $40,218 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,925 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Aquinas College Michigan earn a median of $40,708 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Michigan State University placed #15 among the best values for fine & studio arts. Set in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,079, with out-of-state students paying around $44,850. Students borrow a median of $30,875 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $19,566. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.
College For Creative Studies landed the #16 spot for fine & studio arts value this year. 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. Students borrow a median of $27,655 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of College For Creative Studies earn a median of $26,638 early in their careers. Set against $27,655 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 92%.
More Fine & Studio Arts Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 47 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.
