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2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region

49 Ranked Colleges
2,338 Degrees Awarded
$18,300 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master's in the Great Lakes Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 155,377 visual and performing arts students received their degree, making the major the 10th most popular in the country. 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 master’s degree level specifically, there were 2,338 visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,039 and $42,488 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, we looked at 49 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the visual and performing arts program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

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

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

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

#1

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#25 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Columbia College Chicago. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 71 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia College Chicago are $2,350.

Full Columbia Visual & Performing Arts Report

#2

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#22 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Illinois State University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region. Illinois State University is located in Normal, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 50 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois State, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Illinois State University are $11,069, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Illinois State

#3

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, Michigan

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ferris State University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. This fairly large school is located in Big Rapids, Michigan, and it awarded 10 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Ferris are $7,908.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Ferris State University

#4

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Bradley University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region. Bradley is located in Peoria, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

Bradley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Bradley are $17,040.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Bradley University

#4 in overall quality

Out of the 49 schools in the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 75 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison are $25,523, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at UW - Madison

#23 in overall quality

Bowling Green State University - Main Campus came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is located in Bowling Green, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 74 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

BGSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at BGSU are $15,823, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full BGSU Visual & Performing Arts Report

With a ranking of #7, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a fairly large public school situated in Edwardsville, Illinois. It awarded 19 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are $9,300.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at SIUE

#8

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Eastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Charleston, Illinois, and it awarded 50 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

EIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at EIU are $20,761, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full EIU Visual & Performing Arts Report

#9

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Dekalb, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 40 degrees to qualified masters’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at NIU are $11,086.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at NIU

#10

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

Western Illinois University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. WIU is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 19 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at WIU are $11,996, but some majors have different tuition rates.

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

#11

Youngstown State University

Youngstown, Ohio

Youngstown State University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Youngstown State University is a fairly large public school situated in Youngstown, Ohio. It awarded 10 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Youngstown State University are $9,495.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Youngstown State University

#12

North Park University

Chicago, Illinois

North Park University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 4 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at North Park are $14,076, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at North Park University

#13

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Central Michigan University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Mount Pleasant, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Central Michigan are $19,359, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Central Michigan

#14

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Purdue is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 13 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue also took the #7 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue University - Main Campus are $28,794.

Full Purdue Visual & Performing Arts Report

#15

Indiana State University

Terre Haute, Indiana

Indiana State University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Terre Haute, Indiana, this fairly large public school awarded 6 degrees to qualified masters’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana State are $15,346, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Indiana State Visual & Performing Arts Report

Ohio University - Athens Campus ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. OHIO Athens is a large public school situated in Athens, Ohio. It awarded 87 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at OHIO Athens are $17,712, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Ohio University - Athens Campus

#17

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois
#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, DePaul University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 117 degrees to qualified masters’s visual and performing arts students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree visual & performing arts students list, DePaul has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at DePaul University are $19,760, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at DePaul

#12 in overall quality

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is a large school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 173 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

UC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus are $26,644, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus

#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 82 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full UIUC Visual & Performing Arts Report

Kent State University at Kent ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. This large school is located in Kent, Ohio, and it awarded 66 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Kent State University at Kent are $21,952.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Kent State

Northeastern Illinois University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Northeastern Illinois University are $17,032, but some majors have different tuition rates.

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

University of Akron Main Campus landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Akron, Ohio. It awarded 20 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Akron Main Campus are $15,217, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at University of Akron Main Campus

#23

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#5 in overall quality

Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. IU Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 251 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at IU Bloomington, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at IU Bloomington are $33,338.

Full IU Bloomington Visual & Performing Arts Report

#24

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is a public institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 57 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee are $25,295, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full UWM Visual & Performing Arts Report

#24 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #25. UIC is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 26 masters’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

UIC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Visual & Performing Arts Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIC are $27,036, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full University of Illinois at Chicago Visual & Performing Arts Report

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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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