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Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee

2023 Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

16 Colleges
$18,444 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$25,622 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Visual & Performing Arts School for You

Out of the majors we analyze each year, visual and performing arts was ranked 5th in Tennessee. In fact, 2,629 were awarded in the state in 2020-2021.

There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.

The Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 16 schools in Tennessee to see which ones offered the best value programs for visual and performing arts students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.

When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. 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.

Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.

Top 10 Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools

$4,430 Average Tuition & Fees

Our 2023 rankings named Chattanooga State Community College the best value school in Tennessee for visual and performing arts students. Chattanooga State Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Chattanooga.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Chattanooga State Community College are $4,430 per year. After completing their degree, visual and performing arts graduates from Chattanooga State Community College carry an average student debtload of $14,286.

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$4,372 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Nashville State Community College is a great value for visual and performing arts students. Nashville State Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Nashville.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Nashville State Community College are $4,372 per year.

Full Visual & Performing Arts at Nashville State Community College Report

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$9,848 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee list. Located in the city of Chattanooga, UT Chattanooga is a public school with a fairly large student population.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UT Chattanooga are $9,848 per year. The average amount in student loans that visual and performing arts majors at UT Chattanooga take out is $26,000.

Full Visual & Performing Arts at The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga Report

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$9,232 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent programs at Middle Tennessee State University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best visual and performing arts schools in Tennessee. Located in the medium-sized city of Murfreesboro, Middle Tennessee State University is a public college with a very large student population.

Middle Tennessee State University undergraduate students pay an average of $9,232 in in-state tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, visual and performing arts graduates from Middle Tennessee State University carry an average student debtload of $22,842. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $243.

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$9,912 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means The University of Tennessee - Martin is a great value for visual and performing arts students. UT Martin is a moderately-sized public school located in the remote town of Martin.

UT Martin undergraduate students pay an average of $9,912 in in-state tuition and fees each year. Visual & Performing Arts majors at UT Martin take out an average of $19,944 in student loans while working on their egree.

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$13,244 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #6, The University of Tennessee - Knoxville did quite well on this year’s best value schools for visual and performing arts students. Located in the midsize city of Knoxville, UT Knoxville is a public college with a fairly large student population.

UT Knoxville undergraduate students pay an average of $13,244 in in-state tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, visual and performing arts graduates from UT Knoxville carry an average student debtload of $25,000.

In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, UT Knoxville is ranked #4 for overall quality for visual and performing arts in Tennessee.

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#7

University of Memphis

Memphis, TN
$10,056 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #7, University of Memphis did quite well on this year’s best value schools for visual and performing arts students. UofM is a very large public school located in the large city of Memphis.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UofM are $10,056 per year. Visual & Performing Arts majors at UofM take out an average of $25,117 in student loans while working on their egree.

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$9,438 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #8, East Tennessee State University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for visual and performing arts students. ETSU is a large public school located in the city of Johnson City.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at ETSU are $9,438 a year. After completing their degree, visual and performing arts graduates from ETSU carry an average student debtload of $20,676.

Full Visual & Performing Arts at East Tennessee State University Report

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#9

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, TN
$8,431 Average Tuition & Fees

Austin Peay State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee ranking. Located in the city of Clarksville, Austin Peay State University is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Austin Peay State University undergraduate students pay an average of $8,431 in in-state tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, visual and performing arts majors at Austin Peay State University accumulate an average of around $27,819 in student debt.

Full Visual & Performing Arts at Austin Peay State University Report

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#10

Lee University

Cleveland, TN
$20,500 Average Tuition & Fees

Lee University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Schools in Tennessee ranking. Lee University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cleveland.

Lee University undergraduate students pay an average of $20,500 in in-state tuition and fees each year. Visual & Performing Arts majors at Lee University take out an average of $28,688 in student loans while working on their egree.

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Best Value Visual & Performing Arts Colleges in the Southeast Region

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

State Degrees Awarded
North Carolina 3,215
West Virginia 405
Mississippi 696
South Carolina 1,360
Florida 7,291
Virginia 3,471
Arkansas 830
Alabama 1,142
Kentucky 1,067
Georgia 4,322
Louisiana 1,147

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

Majors Similar to Visual & Performing Arts

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 16 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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