2026 Best Value Fine & Studio Arts Schools in Missouri
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
Missouri Southern State University earned the #1 spot for value among fine & studio arts schools in Missouri. Missouri Southern State University is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Joplin. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,600, while out-of-state students pay about $18,300. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $22,241. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $29,309. Set against $22,241 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
Truman State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fine & studio arts, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Kirksville, Truman State University is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,838, with out-of-state students paying around $18,566. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $15,998. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 84%.
Students looking for strong value in fine & studio arts will find it at University Of Missouri St Louis, which ranked #3. University Of Missouri St Louis is a large public school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,120, with out-of-state students paying around $37,620. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $28,837 in student loans. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of University Of Missouri St Louis earn a median of $32,224 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 63% of applicants are accepted.
Jefferson College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value fine & studio arts schools. Located in the rural area of Hillsboro, Jefferson College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,250, with out-of-state students paying around $8,850. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $13,664. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Jefferson College earn a median of $47,560 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,664 median debt.
University Of Missouri Kansas City came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value fine & studio arts schools. University Of Missouri Kansas City is a large public school located in the city of Kansas City. In-state tuition and fees average $13,371, compared with $32,271 for out-of-state students. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $25,500 in student loans. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of University Of Missouri Kansas City earn a median of $25,476 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Southeast Missouri State University earned the #6 position for value in fine & studio arts this year. Located in the city of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri State University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,903. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $19,000. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $28,421. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Southeast Missouri State University admits about 74% of applicants.
East Central College came in at #7 for value in fine & studio arts this year. East Central College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Union. In-state tuition and fees average $4,272, compared with $7,680 for out-of-state students. Fine & Studio Arts graduates carry a median of $12,062 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from East Central College generally make around $37,925. Set against $12,062 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Missouri State University Springfield placed #8 among the best values for fine & studio arts. Set in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,502, compared with $18,770 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $27,750. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from Missouri State University Springfield generally make around $24,024. Set against $27,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Lindenwood University placed #9 among the best values for fine & studio arts. Located in the city of Saint Charles, Lindenwood University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,600. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $28,663. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from Lindenwood University generally make around $48,197. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
Fontbonne University came in at #10 for value in fine & studio arts this year. Located in the suburb of Saint Louis, Fontbonne University is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $29,976. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $33,503. Fine & Studio Arts graduates of Fontbonne University earn a median of $46,039 early in their careers. Set against $33,503 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of Missouri Columbia landed the #11 spot for fine & studio arts value this year. Set in the city of Columbia, University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,837, compared with $36,056 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $22,000 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from University Of Missouri Columbia generally make around $23,034. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Missouri Columbia admits about 78% of applicants.
Washington University In St Louis came in at #12 for value in fine & studio arts this year. Washington University In St Louis is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of St. Louis. In-state tuition and fees average $65,790. Typical student debt for fine & studio arts graduates is $17,553. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from Washington University In St Louis generally make around $68,303. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 12%.
Webster University placed #13 among the best values for fine & studio arts. Webster University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $31,750. Students borrow a median of $25,939 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Soon after graduation, fine & studio arts degree recipients from Webster University generally make around $57,152. That is a strong return on a $25,939 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Kansas City Art Institute placed #14 among the best values for fine & studio arts. Located in the city of Kansas City, Kansas City Art Institute is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $44,550. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the fine & studio arts program here. Early-career fine & studio arts graduates make about $22,906. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 55%.
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 · 32 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 12 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/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong fine & studio arts education at a price that pays off.
