by our College Data Analytics Team
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.
In 2020-2021, 11,922 people earned their degree in fine arts, making the major the 66th most popular in the United States.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,196 fine arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major” ranking, we looked at 152 colleges that offer a degree in fine arts. That schools that top this list have a program in fine arts in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
The fine arts school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major”.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree fine arts students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Maine Media College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major. This small school is located in Rockport, Maine, and it awarded 11 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2020-2021.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. This small school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 27 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Out of the 152 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, San Francisco Art Institute landed the #3 spot on the list. SFAI is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read full report on Fine Arts at San Francisco Art Institute
Out of the 152 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Maine College of Art landed the #4 spot on the list. Maine College of Art is located in Portland, Maine and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 18 masters’s fine arts degrees to qualified students.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend School of the Art Institute of Chicago. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. School of the Art Institute of Chicago is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 99 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2020-2021.
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.
Read full report on Fine Arts at School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Vermont College of Fine Arts did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #6. VCFA is located in Montpelier, Vermont and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 15 masters’s fine arts degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Laguna College of Art and Design did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #7. LCAD is a small school located in Laguna Beach, California that handed out 11 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Fine Arts at Laguna College of Art and Design
Massachusetts College of Art and Design came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Massachusetts College of Art and Design is a small school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 27 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2020-2021.
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 impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Fine Arts at Massachusetts College of Art and Design
California College of the Arts did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #9. California College of the Arts is located in San Francisco, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 masters’s fine arts degrees to qualified students.
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 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #10, Moore College of Art and Design did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Moore College of Art and Design is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 masters’s fine arts degrees to qualified students.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 Arts at Moore College of Art and Design
Otis College of Art and Design landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Otis College of Art and Design is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.
With a ranking of #12, Minneapolis College of Art and Design did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. MCAD is a small school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 8 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2020-2021.
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. 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%.
Read more about Fine Arts at Minneapolis College of Art and Design
School of Visual Arts came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. This small school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 37 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2020-2021.
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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #14, Pratt Institute - Main did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Pratt Institute - Main is a private not-for-profit institution located in Brooklyn, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 45 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.
Art Center College of Design ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Located in Pasadena, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 17 diplomas to qualified masters’s fine arts students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read full report on Fine Arts at Art Center College of Design
With a ranking of #16, Mills College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Mills College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Oakland, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
With a ranking of #17, California Institute of the Arts did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. California Institute of the Arts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Valencia, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Lesley University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s fine arts degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.
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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Claremont Graduate University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. This small school is located in Claremont, California, and it awarded 7 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
With a ranking of #20, Maharishi International University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Maharishi International University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fairfield, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Fontbonne University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #21. This small school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 3 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Houston Baptist University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. This small school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 9 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Hunter College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major list. Located in New York, New York, this large public school handed out 46 degrees to qualified masters’s fine arts students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Northern Vermont University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #24. Northern Vermont University is a public institution located in Johnson, Vermont. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Western Connecticut State University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Fine Arts Major ranking. WestConn is a small public school situated in Danbury, Connecticut. It awarded 6 masters’s fine arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
