2026 Best Value Fine & Studio Arts Schools in Tennessee
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
Leading the list is Middle Tennessee State University, our #1 best value for fine & studio arts in Tennessee. Set in the city of Murfreesboro, Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,266 in tuition and fees, compared with $31,574 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $24,760. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Middle Tennessee State University earn a median of $29,084 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Middle Tennessee State University admits about 69% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga earned it the #2 place for fine & studio arts. The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga is a large public school located in the city of Chattanooga. Students from in state pay about $10,448 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $18,512. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $21,766. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in fine & studio arts will find it at Tennessee Technological University, which ranked #3. Located in the town of Cookeville, Tennessee Technological University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,376, with out-of-state students paying around $15,576. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $13,935. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from Tennessee Technological University generally make around $19,231. Set against $13,935 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Memphis is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fine & studio arts, landing the #4 spot this year. University Of Memphis is a very large public school located in the city of Memphis. In-state tuition and fees average $10,728, compared with $15,384 for out-of-state students. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $28,850 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from University Of Memphis generally make around $26,451. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in fine & studio arts will find it at Austin Peay State University, which ranked #5. Austin Peay State University is a large public school located in the city of Clarksville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,006, with out-of-state students paying around $14,766. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $24,750. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from Austin Peay State University generally make around $19,157. Set against $24,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
East Tennessee State University landed the #6 spot for fine & studio arts value this year. Located in the city of Johnson City, East Tennessee State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,216 in tuition and fees, compared with $13,726 for out-of-state students. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $23,875 in student loans. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of East Tennessee State University earn a median of $16,696 early in their careers. Set against $23,875 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Tennessee ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value fine & studio arts schools. Located in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,812, compared with $33,256 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $27,000. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $23,661. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
Cumberland University earned the #8 position for value in fine & studio arts this year. Cumberland University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Lebanon. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $27,840. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $21,902. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Cumberland University earn a median of $47,696 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 67%.
Vanderbilt University earned the #9 position for value in fine & studio arts this year. Set in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $67,498. Students borrow a median of $13,975 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Vanderbilt University earn a median of $77,997 early in their careers. Set against $13,975 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
Freed Hardeman University placed #10 among the best values for fine & studio arts. Freed Hardeman University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Henderson. In-state tuition and fees average $25,620. Students borrow a median of $24,479 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $54,530. Set against $24,479 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 60%.
Lee University came in at #11 for value in fine & studio arts this year. Set in the city of Cleveland, Lee University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $23,790. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $29,750 in student loans. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Lee University earn a median of $26,598 early in their careers. Set against $29,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Lee University admits about 70% of applicants.
Union University placed #12 among the best values for fine & studio arts. Union University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Jackson. Students from in state pay about $37,398 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $28,605. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Union University earn a median of $68,508 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $28,605 median debt. Union University admits about 60% of applicants.
Sewanee The University Of The South earned the #13 position for value in fine & studio arts this year. Located in the rural area of Sewanee, Sewanee The University Of The South is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $56,120 in tuition and fees. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $22,091 in student loans. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Sewanee The University Of The South earn a median of $36,927 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,091 median debt. Sewanee The University Of The South admits about 57% of applicants.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 26 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.
[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.
