2027 Best Fine Arts Schools in Illinois
Fine Arts degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their fine arts programs.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools to find the best for fine arts students.
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Best Schools for Fine Arts in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall fine arts education in Illinois.
Top Schools in Fine Arts
No school ranked higher than Illinois State University this year for fine arts. Set in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a very large public institution. Illinois State University graduates 64% of students within six years. Illinois State University awarded about 20 fine arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, fine arts degree recipients from Illinois State University generally make around $35,967. Students borrow a median of $20,125 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in fine arts from Illinois State University
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in fine arts, ranking #2. This very large public university is located in the city of Champaign. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign graduates 85% of students within six years. There were roughly 38 fine arts students who graduated with this degree at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign in the most recent data year. Fine Arts graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $28,669 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $21,356 to complete this degree.
See the full fine arts program report for University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign
A rank of #3 makes Northern Illinois University one of the top schools for fine arts. This large public university is located in the suburb of Dekalb. About 49% of students finish within six years. Northern Illinois University awarded about 53 fine arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, fine arts degree recipients from Northern Illinois University generally make around $26,795. Students borrow a median of $25,781 to complete this degree.
Read more about the fine arts program at Northern Illinois University
University Of Illinois At Chicago is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in fine arts, ranking #4. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public university. University Of Illinois At Chicago graduates 62% of students within six years. There were roughly 35 fine arts students who graduated with this degree at University Of Illinois At Chicago in the most recent data year. Students who receive their fine arts degree from University Of Illinois At Chicago earn around $21,954 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $26,000.
See the full fine arts program report for University Of Illinois At Chicago
Bradley University came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best fine arts schools. Set in the city of Peoria, Bradley University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Bradley University graduates 76% of students within six years. Bradley University awarded about 12 fine arts degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their fine arts degree from Bradley University earn around $54,513 in the first couple years of their career. Bradley University graduates carry a median of $26,380 in student loans.
More information about a degree in fine arts from Bradley University
Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #6 for fine arts this year. Located in the town of Carbondale, Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public university. About 60% of students finish within six years. About 42 fine arts degrees were awarded at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in the most recent year. Fine Arts graduates of Southern Illinois University Carbondale earn a median of $33,285 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $26,500.
More information about a degree in fine arts from Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Columbia College Chicago ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best fine arts schools. This moderately-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Chicago. The six-year graduation rate is 52%. Columbia College Chicago awarded about 41 fine arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, fine arts degree recipients from Columbia College Chicago generally make around $22,765. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete this degree.
See the full fine arts program report for Columbia College Chicago
School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago placed #8 among the best fine arts schools. School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Roughly 67% of students complete a degree within six years here. School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago awarded about 779 fine arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, fine arts degree recipients from School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago generally make around $24,253. School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
See the full fine arts program report for School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #9 for fine arts this year. This large public university is located in the suburb of Edwardsville. The six-year graduation rate is 55%. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville awarded about 23 fine arts degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the fine arts program make about $25,259 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $27,280.
Get the full fine arts details for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Parkland College ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best fine arts schools. Parkland College is a large public school located in the city of Champaign. About 11 fine arts degrees were awarded at Parkland College in the most recent year. Graduates of the fine arts program make about $40,409 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $10,168.
See the full fine arts program report for Parkland College
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 10 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.
