2026 Best Value Fine & Studio Arts Schools in Wisconsin

[Fine & Studio Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/fine-and-studio-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong fine & studio arts education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 27 schools to find the best return on investment for fine & studio arts students.
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2026 Best Value Fine & Studio Arts Schools in Wisconsin
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in fine & studio arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Fine & Studio Arts Schools
Leading the list is University Of Wisconsin Green Bay, our #1 best value for fine & studio arts in Wisconsin. Set in the city of Green Bay, University Of Wisconsin Green Bay is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,700, compared with $17,288 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,477 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $42,853. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Wisconsin Parkside earned it the #2 place for fine & studio arts. Located in the rural area of Kenosha, University Of Wisconsin Parkside is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,270, with out-of-state students paying around $17,429. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $24,485 in student loans. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $40,365. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 75%.
Students looking for strong value in fine & studio arts will find it at University Of Wisconsin Superior, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of Superior, University Of Wisconsin Superior is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,812, while out-of-state students pay about $16,726. Students borrow a median of $27,845 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of University Of Wisconsin Superior earn a median of $45,219 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Wisconsin Superior admits about 93% of applicants.
University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fine & studio arts, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the town of Stevens Point, University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,228, compared with $18,248 for out-of-state students. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point earn a median of $29,334 early in their careers. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point admits about 92% of applicants.
University Of Wisconsin River Falls came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value fine & studio arts schools. University Of Wisconsin River Falls is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of River Falls. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,008, while out-of-state students pay about $17,470. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $30,084. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of University Of Wisconsin River Falls earn a median of $28,801 early in their careers. Set against $30,084 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Wisconsin River Falls admits about 82% of applicants.
University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh came in at #6 for value in fine & studio arts this year. Set in the city of Oshkosh, University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,532, compared with $16,446 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $38,585. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 86%.
University Of Wisconsin Whitewater came in at #7 for value in fine & studio arts this year. Set in the town of Whitewater, University Of Wisconsin Whitewater is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,616, while out-of-state students pay about $18,716. Students borrow a median of $25,250 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of University Of Wisconsin Whitewater earn a median of $26,122 early in their careers. Set against $25,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 86%.
University Of Wisconsin La Crosse landed the #8 spot for fine & studio arts value this year. University Of Wisconsin La Crosse is a large public school located in the city of La Crosse. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,070, while out-of-state students pay about $19,517. Students borrow a median of $19,750 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin La Crosse generally make around $19,407. Set against $19,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Wisconsin Madison came in at #9 for value in fine & studio arts this year. Set in the city of Madison, University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,603 in tuition and fees, compared with $42,103 for out-of-state students. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $19,316 in student loans. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $30,719. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 45%.
University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee came in at #10 for value in fine & studio arts this year. Located in the city of Milwaukee, University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,398, while out-of-state students pay about $22,398. Students borrow a median of $27,719 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $36,332. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee admits about 91% of applicants.
University Of Wisconsin Eau Claire placed #11 among the best values for fine & studio arts. Located in the city of Eau Claire, University Of Wisconsin Eau Claire is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,642 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $19,228. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $25,371. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of University Of Wisconsin Eau Claire earn a median of $34,582 early in their careers. Set against $25,371 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Wisconsin Stout ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best value fine & studio arts schools. Located in the town of Menomonie, University Of Wisconsin Stout is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,701, while out-of-state students pay about $19,265. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $25,821. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of University Of Wisconsin Stout earn a median of $30,077 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Lawrence University ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best value fine & studio arts schools. Located in the city of Appleton, Lawrence University is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $56,982. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $15,699 in student loans. Graduates go on to earn a median of $55,789 ten years after entry. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
Milwaukee Institute Of Art And Design earned the #14 position for value in fine & studio arts this year. Set in the city of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Institute Of Art And Design is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $43,743 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $27,000. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Milwaukee Institute Of Art And Design earn a median of $20,762 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Milwaukee Institute Of Art And Design admits about 60% of applicants.
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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 · 27 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 13 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.