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2023 Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major

1,475 Ranked Colleges
$37,800 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Fine & Studio Arts is the 31st most popular major in the country with 37,604 degrees awarded in 2021-2022. In , fine & studio arts graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $25,159 and had an average of $25,720 in loans still to pay off.

For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major” ranking, we looked at 1,475 colleges that offer a degree in fine & studio arts. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their fine & studio arts program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major”.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Fine & Studio Arts

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Sotheby’s Institute of Art - NY. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major. New York, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s fine arts degrees to 107 students in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Sotheby’s Institute of Art - NY Fine & Studio Arts Report

2
New York Academy of Art crest
New York Academy of Art
New York, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend New York Academy of Art. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major. New York Academy of Art is a small school located in New York, New York that handed out 50 ’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 New York Academy of Art Fine & Studio Arts Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The school came in at #3 for the Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major. School of the Art Institute of Chicago is a small school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 735 ’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at School of the Art Institute of Chicago

4
PAFA crest
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Out of the 1,475 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts landed the #4 spot on the list. PAFA is a small school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 60 ’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at PAFA

5
Maine Media College crest
Maine Media College
Rockport, Maine

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Maine Media College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Maine Media College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Rockport, Maine. It awarded 5 ’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 1 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Maine Media College

6
Platt College - San Diego crest
Platt College - San Diego
San Diego, California

Platt College - San Diego did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #6. Platt College - San Diego is a small school located in San Diego, California that handed out 44 ’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Platt College - San Diego

7
Carnbrook Academy crest
Cranbrook Academy of Art
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Cranbrook Academy of Art landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Carnbrook Academy is a small school located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan that handed out 40 ’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Cranbrook Academy of Art Fine & Studio Arts Report

8
9
Paier College of Art Inc crest
Paier College of Art Inc
Bridgeport, Connecticut

Paier College of Art Inc came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Paier College of Art Inc is a small private for-profit school situated in Bridgeport, Connecticut. It awarded 3 ’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Paier College of Art Inc

10

Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development ranked #10 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Santa Fe, New Mexico is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s fine arts degrees to 30 students in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development Fine & Studio Arts Report

11

Pacific Northwest College of Art did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #11. This small school is located in Portland, Oregon, and it awarded 60 ’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Pacific Northwest College of Art Fine & Studio Arts Report

12
Kansas City Art Institute crest
Kansas City Art Institute
Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City Art Institute ranked #12 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Kansas City Art Institute is located in Kansas City, Missouri and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 69 ’s fine arts degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Kansas City Art Institute

13
Maine College of Art crest
Maine College of Art
Portland, Maine

Maine College of Art came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Maine College of Art is located in Portland, Maine and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 33 ’s fine arts degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Maine College of Art Fine & Studio Arts Report

14
Ai Virginia Beach crest
The Art Institute of Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, Virginia

The Art Institute of Virginia Beach landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Virginia Beach, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s fine arts degrees to 5 students in 2021-2022.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Ai Virginia Beach

15

Cleveland Institute of Art ranked #15 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. CIA is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Cleveland, Ohio. It awarded 25 ’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at CIA

16
Montserrat College of Art crest
Montserrat College of Art
Beverly, Massachusetts

Montserrat College of Art did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #16. Montserrat College of Art is a private not-for-profit institution located in Beverly, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Montserrat College of Art

17

With a ranking of #17, Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. EAPD is a small public school situated in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It awarded 21 ’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico

18

With a ranking of #18, Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. This small school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 62 ’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Cooper Union

19

Massachusetts College of Art and Design landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this small public school awarded 113 diplomas to qualified ’s fine arts students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Massachusetts College of Art and Design

20

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. This small school is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 45 ’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at MIAD

21

With a ranking of #21, Maryland Institute College of Art did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Maryland Institute College of Art is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Baltimore, Maryland. It awarded 155 ’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full MICA Fine & Studio Arts Report

22
LCAD crest
Laguna College of Art and Design
Laguna Beach, California

Laguna College of Art and Design came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Laguna College of Art and Design is a small school located in Laguna Beach, California that handed out 13 ’s fine arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full LCAD Fine & Studio Arts Report

23
The Academy crest
American Academy of Art
Chicago, Illinois

American Academy of Art landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. The Academy is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 12 ’s fine arts degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at The Academy

24
Bard crest
Bard College
Annandale-On-Hudson, New York

Bard College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Bard is located in Annandale-On-Hudson, New York and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 164 ’s fine arts degrees to qualified students.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Bard College

25
RISD crest
Rhode Island School of Design
Providence, Rhode Island

Rhode Island School of Design landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Rhode Island School of Design is a private not-for-profit institution located in Providence, Rhode Island. The school has a small population, and it awarded 130 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at RISD

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

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33
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35
Pine Manor crest
Pine Manor College
Chestnut Hill, MA
36
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45
Mills crest
Mills College
Oakland, CA
46
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50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51Williams CollegeWilliamstown, MA
52Purchase CollegePurchase, NY
53Covenant CollegeLookout Mountain, GA
54Columbus College of Art and DesignColumbus, OH
55Art Center College of DesignPasadena, CA
56Warren Wilson CollegeSwannanoa, NC
57Bryn Athyn College of the New ChurchBryn Athyn, PA
58Lyon CollegeBatesville, AR
59Rocky Mountain College of Art and DesignLakewood, CO
60Salem Community CollegeCarneys Point, NJ
61Savannah College of Art and DesignSavannah, GA
62AI Miami International University of Art and DesignMiami, FL
63The University of the ArtsPhiladelphia, PA
64Bacone CollegeMuskogee, OK
65Hastings CollegeHastings, NE
RankCollegeLocation
66Sterling CollegeSterling, KS
67Fontbonne UniversitySaint Louis, MO
68Skidmore CollegeSaratoga Springs, NY
69Drew UniversityMadison, NJ
70Barnard CollegeNew York, NY
71Hollins UniversityRoanoke, VA
72Academy of Art UniversitySan Francisco, CA
73Oglethorpe UniversityAtlanta, GA
74Southwestern UniversityGeorgetown, TX
75Whitman CollegeWalla Walla, WA
76Northern Michigan UniversityMarquette, MI
77Cornell CollegeMount Vernon, IA
78Carleton CollegeNorthfield, MN
79University of North Carolina at AshevilleAsheville, NC
80Knox CollegeGalesburg, IL
81University of MontevalloMontevallo, AL
82Brevard CollegeBrevard, NC
83Earlham CollegeRichmond, IN
84Westmont CollegeSanta Barbara, CA
85Oberlin CollegeOberlin, OH
86County College of MorrisRandolph, NJ
87Cottey CollegeNevada, MO
88Bethany Lutheran CollegeMankato, MN
89Keystone CollegeLa Plume, PA
90St Mary’s College of MarylandSt. Mary’s City, MD
RankCollegeLocation
91Kenyon CollegeGambier, OH
92Eastern Illinois UniversityCharleston, IL
93Humboldt State UniversityArcata, CA
94Sussex County Community CollegeNewton, NJ
95California State University - Long BeachLong Beach, CA
96Bethel College - North NewtonNorth Newton, KS
97Lander UniversityGreenwood, SC
98The City College of New YorkNew York, NY
99St Olaf CollegeNorthfield, MN
100Bennington CollegeBennington, VT
101Hamilton CollegeClinton, NY
102Berea CollegeBerea, KY
103Northern Vermont UniversityJohnson, VT
104Reed CollegePortland, OR
105Tunxis Community CollegeFarmington, CT
106California State University - FullertonFullerton, CA
107Hudson County Community CollegeJersey City, NJ
108Hobart and William Smith CollegesGeneva, NY
109Ripon CollegeRipon, WI
110Fort Lewis CollegeDurango, CO
111Mount Holyoke CollegeSouth Hadley, MA
112Purdue University Fort WayneFort Wayne, IN
113Pitzer CollegeClaremont, CA
114Full Sail UniversityWinter Park, FL
115Grinnell CollegeGrinnell, IA
RankCollegeLocation
116Flagler College - St AugustineSaint Augustine, FL
117Albright CollegeReading, PA
118Shawnee State UniversityPortsmouth, OH
119Spalding UniversityLouisville, KY
120The College of New JerseyEwing, NJ
121Fashion Institute of TechnologyNew York, NY
122Connecticut CollegeNew London, CT
123Birmingham Southern CollegeBirmingham, AL
124Ohio Wesleyan UniversityDelaware, OH
125University of the OzarksClarksville, AR
126Southwestern Michigan CollegeDowagiac, MI
127Franklin CollegeFranklin, IN
128Snow CollegeEphraim, UT
129The New SchoolNew York, NY
130Salem CollegeWinston-Salem, NC
130Bryn Mawr CollegeBryn Mawr, PA
132The College of WoosterWooster, OH
133Whittier CollegeWhittier, CA
134Wheaton College MassachusettsNorton, MA
134Sweet Briar CollegeSweet Briar, VA
134Tohono O’Odham Community CollegeSells, AZ
134Lawrence UniversityAppleton, WI
138University of Nebraska at KearneyKearney, NE
139Colby CollegeWaterville, ME
140Dillard UniversityNew Orleans, LA
RankCollegeLocation
141Beloit CollegeBeloit, WI
142Onondaga Community CollegeSyracuse, NY
143SUNY OswegoOswego, NY
144Lake Forest CollegeLake Forest, IL
145Rose State CollegeMidwest City, OK
146Wabash CollegeCrawfordsville, IN
147Goucher CollegeBaltimore, MD
148University of Arkansas at Pine BluffPine Bluff, AR
149Western Connecticut State UniversityDanbury, CT
150SUNY Empire State CollegeSaratoga Springs, NY
151California State University - Channel IslandsCamarillo, CA
152Saint Michael’s CollegeColchester, VT
153Willamette UniversitySalem, OR
154Holy Cross CollegeNotre Dame, IN
155LaGuardia Community CollegeLong Island City, NY
156Northwestern Connecticut Community CollegeWinsted, CT
156Lewis & Clark CollegePortland, OR
158Denison UniversityGranville, OH
159Massachusetts College of Liberal ArtsNorth Adams, MA
160Sierra Nevada CollegeIncline Village, NV
161Sewanee - The University of the SouthSewanee, TN
162Guilford CollegeGreensboro, NC
163College for Creative StudiesDetroit, MI
164University of New Mexico - Valencia County CampusLos Lunas, NM
165William Paterson University of New JerseyWayne, NJ
RankCollegeLocation
166Shepherd UniversityShepherdstown, WV
167Western Colorado UniversityGunnison, CO
168California State University - NorthridgeNorthridge, CA
169Beacon CollegeLeesburg, FL
170Randolph CollegeLynchburg, VA
171Wittenberg UniversitySpringfield, OH
172Otterbein UniversityWesterville, OH
173New Jersey City UniversityJersey City, NJ
174Maryville CollegeMaryville, TN
174Winthrop UniversityRock Hill, SC
176Hunter CollegeNew York, NY
177Luther CollegeDecorah, IA
178University of Mary WashingtonFredericksburg, VA
179College of the OzarksPoint Lookout, MO
180Concord UniversityAthens, WV
181Colgate UniversityHamilton, NY
182Lesley UniversityCambridge, MA
183Gettysburg CollegeGettysburg, PA
184Mars Hill UniversityMars Hill, NC
185California State University - Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
186Vassar CollegePoughkeepsie, NY
187Wisconsin Lutheran CollegeMilwaukee, WI
188Towson UniversityTowson, MD
189Scripps CollegeClaremont, CA
190University of California - Santa CruzSanta Cruz, CA
RankCollegeLocation
191Agnes Scott CollegeDecatur, GA
192Wofford CollegeSpartanburg, SC
193University of OregonEugene, OR
194Eastern Connecticut State UniversityWillimantic, CT
195St Lawrence UniversityCanton, NY
196Moravian CollegeBethlehem, PA
197Alma CollegeAlma, MI
198Millersville University of PennsylvaniaMillersville, PA
199University of South Carolina - AikenAiken, SC
200Brigham Young University - HawaiiLaie, HI
201Glendale Community CollegeGlendale, CA
202University of GuamMangilao, GU
203University of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsville, AL
204Georgia State UniversityAtlanta, GA
205Aquinas College MichiganGrand Rapids, MI
206Western Washington UniversityBellingham, WA
207University of Minnesota - MorrisMorris, MN
208Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore, PA
209Rhode Island CollegeProvidence, RI
210James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, VA
211Housatonic Community CollegeBridgeport, CT
211Hood CollegeFrederick, MD
213Columbia College ChicagoChicago, IL
214Radford UniversityRadford, VA
215Hillsdale CollegeHillsdale, MI
RankCollegeLocation
216Azusa Pacific UniversityAzusa, CA
217Bowdoin CollegeBrunswick, ME
218Wesleyan UniversityMiddletown, CT
219Bard College at Simon’s RockGreat Barrington, MA
220Arcadia UniversityGlenside, PA
221Marietta CollegeMarietta, OH
222Saint Mary-of-the-Woods CollegeSaint Mary of the Woods, IN
222Marymount Manhattan CollegeNew York, NY

Notes and References

References

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