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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Visual & Performing Arts in the Great Lakes Region

129 Ranked Colleges
13,882 Degrees Awarded
$15,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking - to help you make that decision.

With 155,377 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, visual and performing arts is the 10th most popular major in the United States. In 2017-2018, visual and performing arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $25,427 and had an average of $28,377 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 20,124 visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $25,485 and $27,728 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 13,882 visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, we looked at 129 colleges that offer a degree in visual and performing arts. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent visual and performing arts programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the visual and performing arts program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Visual & Performing Arts in the Great Lakes Region

#1

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, Wisconsin
#11 in overall quality

Out of the 129 schools in the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Stout landed the #1 spot on the list. Menomonie, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to 194 students in 2019-2020.

UW - Stout also took the #11 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Stout is $15,839 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

The low student loan default rate of 3.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at UW - Stout

#15 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - La Crosse is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 48 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

UW - La Crosse also made our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $14,580 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full UW - La Crosse Visual & Performing Arts Report

#14 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region. University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 98 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

UW - Eau Claire also took the #14 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Eau Claire is $16,020 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students.

Full UW - Eau Claire Visual & Performing Arts Report

#4

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville, Wisconsin
#25 in overall quality

Out of the 129 schools in the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Platteville landed the #4 spot on the list. University of Wisconsin - Platteville is a public institution located in Platteville, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Platteville also took the #25 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Platteville is $15,718 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students.

Full University of Wisconsin - Platteville Visual & Performing Arts Report

#24 in overall quality

Out of the 129 schools in the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater landed the #5 spot on the list. UW - Whitewater is a fairly large school located in Whitewater, Wisconsin that handed out 114 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Whitewater did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UW - Whitewater is $15,249 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

Full UW - Whitewater Visual & Performing Arts Report

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #6. This fairly large school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 72 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend SIUE is $14,423 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

#7

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Top 25% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Stevens Point, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to 148 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is $14,465 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

Full University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Visual & Performing Arts Report

#8

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

Western Illinois University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. WIU is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 72 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Western Illinois University is $16,210 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Western Illinois University

#9

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. EIU is located in Charleston, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 42 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Eastern Illinois University is $14,607 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Eastern Illinois University

#10

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - River Falls landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is located in River Falls, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 52 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $13,748 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UW - River Falls Visual & Performing Arts Report

With a ranking of #11, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 38 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is $15,463 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at UW Oshkosh

#12

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #12. NIU is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 137 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $18,259 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students per year to attend Northern Illinois University.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Northern Illinois University

#13

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UW - Green Bay is a medium-sized public school situated in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It awarded 59 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UW - Green Bay is $14,395 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students.

Full University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Visual & Performing Arts Report

#14

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, Michigan

With a ranking of #14, Ferris State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. This fairly large school is located in Big Rapids, Michigan, and it awarded 104 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Ferris State University is $12,889 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

Full Ferris State University Visual & Performing Arts Report

#15

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

Illinois State University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Illinois State is a public institution located in Normal, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 279 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Illinois State is $20,895 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Illinois State Visual & Performing Arts Report

University of Wisconsin - Parkside landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Wisconsin - Parkside is located in Kenosha, Wisconsin and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 58 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Parkside is $11,327 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at UW - Parkside

#17

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
Top 25% in overall quality

Grand Valley State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. GVSU is a public institution located in Allendale, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 185 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Grand Valley State University is $17,646 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students.

The low student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full GVSU Visual & Performing Arts Report

#18

Youngstown State University

Youngstown, Ohio

Youngstown State University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Youngstown State University is a public institution located in Youngstown, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 63 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Youngstown State University is $11,947 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

Full Youngstown State University Visual & Performing Arts Report

#19

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan

With a ranking of #19, Western Michigan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Kalamazoo, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to 209 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend WMU is $19,433 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at WMU

#20

University of Southern Indiana

Evansville, Indiana

University of Southern Indiana came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Evansville, Indiana is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to 77 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,437 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students per year to attend USI.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Southern Indiana Visual & Performing Arts Report

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #21. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 103 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for SIUC is $16,945 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

#22

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is a large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 266 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UWM is $17,876 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at UWM

#23

Franklin University

Columbus, Ohio

Franklin University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Franklin University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 12 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Franklin University is $12,895 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual & Performing Arts students.

Full Franklin University Visual & Performing Arts Report

#24

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, Michigan

Eastern Michigan University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Eastern Michigan University is located in Ypsilanti, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 126 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Eastern Michigan is $15,924 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Eastern Michigan University

With a ranking of #25, Kent State University at Kent did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Kent State University at Kent is a large school located in Kent, Ohio that handed out 368 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Kent State University at Kent is $18,885 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree visual & performing arts students.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Kent State

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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