2027 Best Painting Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
Painting programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools to find the best for painting students.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Painting in the Middle Atlantic Region
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the painting degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Painting
Temple University tops our 2027 ranking of the best painting schools. Set in the city of Philadelphia, Temple University is a very large public institution. About 75% of students finish within six years. Temple University awarded about 25 painting degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their painting degree from Temple University earn around $24,558 in the first couple years of their career. Temple University graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans.
Read more about the painting program at Temple University
Pratt Institute Main is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in painting, ranking #2. Located in the city of Brooklyn, Pratt Institute Main is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 74%. There were roughly 73 painting students who graduated with this degree at Pratt Institute Main in the most recent data year. Painting graduates of Pratt Institute Main earn a median of $25,616 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000.
More information about a degree in painting from Pratt Institute Main
Maryland Institute College Of Art is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in painting, landing the #3 spot this year. This mid-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Baltimore. Maryland Institute College Of Art graduates 72% of students within six years. Maryland Institute College Of Art awarded about 45 painting degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the painting program make about $25,693 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree.
See the full painting program report for Maryland Institute College Of Art
State University Of New York At New Paltz came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best painting schools. Set in the town of New Paltz, State University Of New York At New Paltz is a moderately-sized public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 72%. State University Of New York At New Paltz awarded about 14 painting degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their painting degree from State University Of New York At New Paltz earn around $18,842 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $23,562.
Get the full painting details for State University Of New York At New Paltz
Students looking for a strong painting program will find one at Suny At Purchase College, which ranked #5. This mid-sized public university is located in the suburb of Purchase. About 63% of students finish within six years. Suny At Purchase College awarded about 23 painting degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the painting program make about $14,984 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $23,850 to complete this degree.
Get the full painting details for Suny At Purchase College
Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts earned the #6 position for painting this year. Located in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts is a small private not-for-profit university. About 58% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 16 painting students who graduated with this degree at Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, painting degree recipients from Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts generally make around $17,887. Typical student debt for the program is $26,750.
See the full painting program report for Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 6 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.