Media Arts degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their media arts programs.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 500 schools to find the best for media arts students.
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Featured Media Arts Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Below are the best media arts schools at the master’s degree level, ranked by the quality of the education they deliver.
University Of Washington Seattle Campus tops our 2026 ranking of the best media arts schools. This very large public university is located in the city of Seattle. About 85% of students finish within six years. About 118 media arts degrees were awarded at University Of Washington Seattle Campus in the most recent year. Media Arts graduates of University Of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of $72,293 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $16,481 to complete this degree.
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Northwestern University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in media arts, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. About 95% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 430 media arts students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, media arts degree recipients from Northwestern University generally make around $89,054. Northwestern University graduates carry a median of $15,500 in student loans.
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Georgetown University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in media arts, landing the #3 spot this year. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Washington. The six-year graduation rate is 95%. About 76 media arts degrees were awarded at Georgetown University in the most recent year. Media Arts graduates of Georgetown University earn a median of $59,859 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $16,483.
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A rank of #4 makes University Of Chicago one of the top schools for media arts. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit institution. University Of Chicago graduates 96% of students within six years. University Of Chicago awarded about 27 media arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, media arts degree recipients from University Of Chicago generally make around $81,002. University Of Chicago graduates carry a median of $15,854 in student loans.
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Stanford University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best media arts schools. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the suburb of Stanford. Stanford University graduates 92% of students within six years. About 24 media arts degrees were awarded at Stanford University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, media arts degree recipients from Stanford University generally make around $100,827. Stanford University graduates carry a median of $10,492 in student loans.
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University Of Southern California ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best media arts schools. University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. About 92% of students finish within six years. About 209 media arts degrees were awarded at University Of Southern California in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, media arts degree recipients from University Of Southern California generally make around $75,677. University Of Southern California graduates carry a median of $15,625 in student loans.
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University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill landed the #7 spot for media arts this year. This very large public university is located in the city of Chapel Hill. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill graduates 91% of students within six years. About 18 media arts degrees were awarded at University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill in the most recent year. Students who receive their media arts degree from University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill earn around $61,361 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $15,117 to complete this degree.
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University Of California Santa Barbara came in at #8 for media arts this year. University Of California Santa Barbara is a very large public school located in the suburb of Santa Barbara. University Of California Santa Barbara graduates 83% of students within six years. University Of California Santa Barbara awarded about 10 media arts degrees in the most recent data year. Media Arts graduates of University Of California Santa Barbara earn a median of $45,488 early in their careers. University Of California Santa Barbara graduates carry a median of $15,501 in student loans.
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Massachusetts Institute Of Technology came in at #9 for media arts this year. Massachusetts Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cambridge. Roughly 96% of students complete a degree within six years here. Massachusetts Institute Of Technology awarded about 21 media arts degrees in the most recent data year. Media Arts graduates of Massachusetts Institute Of Technology earn a median of $113,129 early in their careers. Massachusetts Institute Of Technology graduates carry a median of $13,516 in student loans.
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Northeastern University landed the #10 spot for media arts this year. Located in the city of Boston, Northeastern University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 90%. There were roughly 13 media arts students who graduated with this degree at Northeastern University in the most recent data year. Media Arts graduates of Northeastern University earn a median of $74,800 early in their careers. Northeastern University graduates carry a median of $25,611 in student loans.
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New York University landed the #11 spot for media arts this year. Set in the city of New York, New York University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. About 88% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 134 media arts students who graduated with this degree at New York University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the media arts program make about $56,147 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete this degree.
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University Of California Berkeley earned the #12 position for media arts this year. University Of California Berkeley is a very large public school located in the city of Berkeley. About 93% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 58 media arts students who graduated with this degree at University Of California Berkeley in the most recent data year. Students who receive their media arts degree from University Of California Berkeley earn around $62,846 in the first couple years of their career. University Of California Berkeley graduates carry a median of $14,238 in student loans.
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Quinnipiac University came in at #13 for media arts this year. Set in the suburb of Hamden, Quinnipiac University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 76% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 29 media arts students who graduated with this degree at Quinnipiac University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, media arts degree recipients from Quinnipiac University generally make around $60,845. Students borrow a median of $25,926 to complete this degree.
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University Of Kansas came in at #14 for media arts this year. University Of Kansas is a very large public school located in the city of Lawrence. The six-year graduation rate is 69%. There were roughly 16 media arts students who graduated with this degree at University Of Kansas in the most recent data year. Graduates of the media arts program make about $56,289 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $23,608 to complete this degree.
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Columbia University In The City Of New York earned the #15 position for media arts this year. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of New York. Columbia University In The City Of New York graduates 96% of students within six years. There were roughly 17 media arts students who graduated with this degree at Columbia University In The City Of New York in the most recent data year. Students who receive their media arts degree from Columbia University In The City Of New York earn around $86,770 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $23,258 to complete this degree.
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Florida State University landed the #16 spot for media arts this year. Set in the city of Tallahassee, Florida State University is a very large public institution. About 86% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 39 media arts students who graduated with this degree at Florida State University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the media arts program make about $32,227 in their early career. Florida State University graduates carry a median of $18,500 in student loans.
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Thomas Jefferson University placed #17 among the best media arts schools. Set in the city of Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 69%. There were roughly 25 media arts students who graduated with this degree at Thomas Jefferson University in the most recent data year. Media Arts graduates of Thomas Jefferson University earn a median of $64,243 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $32,256 to complete this degree.
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Yeshiva University ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best media arts schools. Set in the city of New York, Yeshiva University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 85%. There were roughly 29 media arts students who graduated with this degree at Yeshiva University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the media arts program make about $52,838 in their early career. Yeshiva University graduates carry a median of $20,625 in student loans.
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Northeastern University Global Network came in at #19 for media arts this year. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Boston. Northeastern University Global Network awarded about 105 media arts degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their media arts degree from Northeastern University Global Network earn around $78,054 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $27,055.
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Boston University placed #20 among the best media arts schools. Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston. The six-year graduation rate is 89%. Boston University awarded about 110 media arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, media arts degree recipients from Boston University generally make around $46,203. Typical student debt for the program is $23,750.
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California State University East Bay ranked #21 on our 2026 list of the best media arts schools. California State University East Bay is a large public school located in the suburb of Hayward. The six-year graduation rate is 48%. There were roughly 11 media arts students who graduated with this degree at California State University East Bay in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, media arts degree recipients from California State University East Bay generally make around $58,951. Students borrow a median of $18,073 to complete this degree.
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Monmouth University landed the #22 spot for media arts this year. Monmouth University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of West Long Branch. About 72% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 14 media arts students who graduated with this degree at Monmouth University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their media arts degree from Monmouth University earn around $49,709 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $26,847.
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Michigan State University came in at #23 for media arts this year. This very large public university is located in the city of East Lansing. About 81% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 53 media arts students who graduated with this degree at Michigan State University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their media arts degree from Michigan State University earn around $69,257 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $25,213 to complete this degree.
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University Of Central Florida landed the #24 spot for media arts this year. Set in the suburb of Orlando, University Of Central Florida is a very large public institution. University Of Central Florida graduates 78% of students within six years. University Of Central Florida awarded about 80 media arts degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their media arts degree from University Of Central Florida earn around $27,148 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $21,202.
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Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus landed the #25 spot for media arts this year. This very large public university is located in the city of Atlanta. Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus graduates 94% of students within six years. Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus awarded about 12 media arts degrees in the most recent data year. Media Arts graduates of Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus earn a median of $76,507 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $28,350.
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Not far behind, these schools also delivered a strong media arts education:
Explore the best media arts schools at other degree levels:
View All Media Arts Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 500 schools evaluated.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.