2027 Best Value Fine & Studio Arts Schools in South Carolina

[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 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools to find the best return on investment for fine & studio arts students.
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2027 Best Value Fine & Studio Arts Schools in South Carolina
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 South Carolina Upstate, our #1 best value for fine & studio arts in South Carolina. University Of South Carolina Upstate is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Spartanburg. In-state tuition and fees average $11,588, while out-of-state students pay about $23,090. Students borrow a median of $26,500 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of University Of South Carolina Upstate earn a median of $35,203 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 67%.
University Of South Carolina Aiken came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value fine & studio arts schools. Located in the suburb of Aiken, University Of South Carolina Aiken is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,760, with out-of-state students paying around $21,218. Students borrow a median of $23,567 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of University Of South Carolina Aiken earn a median of $19,963 early in their careers. Set against $23,567 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of South Carolina Aiken admits about 78% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Coastal Carolina University earned it the #3 place for fine & studio arts. Located in the city of Conway, Coastal Carolina University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,640, while out-of-state students pay about $29,628. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from Coastal Carolina University generally make around $23,121. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Coastal Carolina University admits about 75% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Francis Marion University one of the best values for fine & studio arts. Francis Marion University is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Florence. In-state tuition and fees average $11,170, with out-of-state students paying around $21,544. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $30,577. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Francis Marion University earn a median of $41,456 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
University Of South Carolina Beaufort is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fine & studio arts, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the town of Bluffton, University Of South Carolina Beaufort is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,730 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $21,776. Students borrow a median of $27,971 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $38,254. That is a strong return on a $27,971 median debt. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Winthrop University came in at #6 for value in fine & studio arts this year. Winthrop University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Rock Hill. Students from in state pay about $14,678 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,676. Students borrow a median of $29,187 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Winthrop University earn a median of $16,817 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 79%.
Lander University landed the #7 spot for fine & studio arts value this year. Located in the town of Greenwood, Lander University is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $11,700 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $21,300. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $26,937. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Lander University earn a median of $21,605 early in their careers. Set against $26,937 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 81%.
College Of Charleston landed the #8 spot for fine & studio arts value this year. Set in the city of Charleston, College Of Charleston is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,978, compared with $38,296 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $21,500. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $24,070. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 60%.
Clemson University ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value fine & studio arts schools. Located in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,554 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $40,866. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $23,783 in student loans. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Clemson University earn a median of $53,834 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 38%.
University Of South Carolina Columbia earned the #10 position for value in fine & studio arts this year. University Of South Carolina Columbia is a very large public school located in the city of Columbia. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,688, compared with $36,298 for out-of-state students. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from University Of South Carolina Columbia generally make around $27,467. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 60%.
Converse College landed the #11 spot for fine & studio arts value this year. Set in the city of Spartanburg, Converse College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $25,240. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $26,715 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from Converse College generally make around $38,940. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 68%.
More Fine & Studio Arts Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 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.