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Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Pennsylvania

2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Pennsylvania

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

33 Colleges
$22,419 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$26,870 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Visual & Performing Arts School for You

In 2020-2021, visual and performing arts students earned 5,464 degrees and certificates from a Pennsylvania school, making the subject the 9th in the state.

With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.

Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Pennsylvania to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 33 schools in Pennsylvania to see which programs offered the best value experiences for visual and performing arts students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.

In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.

Top 10 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools

$10,423 Average Tuition & Fees

Our analysis found West Chester University of Pennsylvania to be the best value school for visual and performing arts students who want to pursue a degree in Pennsylvania. WCUPA is a large public school located in the large suburb of West Chester.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WCUPA are $10,423 per year.

Full Visual & Performing Arts at West Chester University of Pennsylvania Report

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$10,507 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent programs at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best visual and performing arts schools in Pennsylvania. Located in the town of Slippery Rock, SRU is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at SRU are $10,507 per year. The average amount in student loans that visual and performing arts majors at SRU take out is $29,000.

Full Visual & Performing Arts at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Report

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#3

Lehigh Carbon Community College

Schnecksville, PA
$8,430 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lehigh Carbon Community College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Pennsylvania list. LCCC is a moderately-sized public school located in the large suburb of Schnecksville.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at LCCC are $8,430 a year.

Full Visual & Performing Arts at Lehigh Carbon Community College Report

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$8,295 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 33 schools in Pennsylvania that were part of this year’s ranking, Harrisburg Area Community College landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in the small city of Harrisburg, HACC is a public school with a large student population.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at HACC are $8,295 per year. While working on their degree, visual and performing arts majors at HACC accumulate an average of around $18,008 in student debt.

Full Visual & Performing Arts at Harrisburg Area Community College Report

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$10,982 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Pennsylvania list. Bloomsburg is a moderately-sized public school located in the small city of Bloomsburg.

Bloomsburg undergraduate students pay an average of $10,982 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that visual and performing arts majors at Bloomsburg take out is $26,898.

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#6

Messiah University

Mechanicsburg, PA
$38,370 Average Tuition & Fees

Messiah University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value visual and performing arts programs. Located in the suburb of Mechanicsburg, Messiah is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

Messiah undergraduate students pay an average of $38,370 in in-state tuition and fees each year.

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$12,256 Average Tuition & Fees

Millersville University of Pennsylvania ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Pennsylvania list. Located in the large suburb of Millersville, Millersville is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

Millersville undergraduate students pay an average of $12,256 in in-state tuition and fees each year. On average, visual and performing arts graduates from Millersville take out $27,750 in student loans while working on their degree.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Millersville University of Pennsylvania

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$10,543 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #8, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania did quite well on this year’s best value schools for visual and performing arts students. Located in the town of Edinboro, Edinboro is a public school with a small student population.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Edinboro are $10,543 per year. Visual & Performing Arts majors at Edinboro take out an average of $27,000 in student loans while working on their egree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $308, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

Full Visual & Performing Arts at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania Report

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$11,062 Average Tuition & Fees

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value visual and performing arts programs. Located in the town of Kutztown, Kutztown University is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Kutztown University undergraduate students pay an average of $11,062 in in-state tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, visual and performing arts graduates from Kutztown University carry an average student debtload of $27,320. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $294, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

Full Visual & Performing Arts at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Report

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$13,144 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #10, Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus did quite well on this year’s best value schools for visual and performing arts students. Located in the distant town of Indiana, IUP is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at IUP are $13,144 per year. The average amount in student loans that visual and performing arts majors at IUP take out is $27,333.

Full Visual & Performing Arts at Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus Report

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Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region

Explore all the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
New Jersey 2,574
New York 16,536
Maryland 2,055
Delaware 182
District of Columbia 586

Visual & Performing Arts Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
Fine & Studio Arts 37,413
Design & Applied Arts 36,301
Music 25,910
Drama & Theater Arts 17,341
Film, Video & Photographic Arts 16,778
General Visual & Performing Arts 6,355
Arts & Media Management 4,788
Dance 3,288
Other Visual Art 912
Crafts, Folk Art & Artisanry 119
Community/Environmental/Socially-Engaged Art 10

Related Major Annual Graduates
Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities 556,813
English Language & Literature 54,635
Foreign Languages & Linguistics 33,333
Theology & Religious Vocations 27,459
Philosophy & Religious Studies 19,993

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 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 the rest 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).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Bonnielou2013.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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