College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value Colleges for Fine & Studio Arts (Income $30-$48k) in California

43 Ranked Colleges
6,526 Degrees Awarded
$9,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 37,413 people earned their degree in fine and studio arts, making the major the 31st most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, fine and studio arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $25,051 and had an average of $25,492 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 6,526 fine and studio arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $25,004 and $23,549 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 43 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in fine and studio arts. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent fine and studio arts programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the fine and studio arts program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Fine Arts Rankings Other Ranking Categories

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california fine arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Fine & Studio Arts (Income $30-$48k) in California

1

Out of the 43 schools in the Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #1 spot on the list. Berkeley, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s Fine Arts degrees to 107 students in 2020-2021.

UC Berkeley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Schools in California” list. It costs about $9,999 for California Fine Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UC Berkeley.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at University of California - Berkeley

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k. University of California - Los Angeles is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 155 ’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

UCLA also made our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Schools in California” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $9,891 for California Fine Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of California - Los Angeles.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at UCLA

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Los Angeles. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k. California State University - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 177 ’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Los Angeles is $2,701 for california fine arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal State LA Fine & Studio Arts Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Fullerton. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school awarded 419 degrees to qualified ’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.

Cal State Fullerton also made our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Schools in California” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for Cal State Fullerton is $5,821 for california fine arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Cal State Fullerton Fine & Studio Arts Report

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Long Beach. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k. California State University - Long Beach is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 424 ’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSULB, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $7,573 for california fine arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend CSULB.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at CSULB

6

University of California - Irvine landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Irvine, California, this large public school awarded 114 diplomas to qualified ’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.

UC Irvine not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Irvine is $8,449 for California Fine Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at University of California - Irvine

7

University of California - Davis ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of California - Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 86 ’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Davis, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $11,598 for California Fine Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of California - Davis.

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 freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at University of California - Davis

8

California State University - San Bernardino did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. California State University - San Bernardino is a fairly large public school situated in San Bernardino, California. It awarded 100 ’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $6,613 for California Fine Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend CSUSB.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 more about Fine & Studio Arts at CSUSB

9

California State University - Fresno ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Fresno, California, this large public school awarded 40 degrees to qualified ’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $4,655 for California Fine Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California State University - Fresno.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% 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 & Studio Arts at California State University - Fresno

10

California State University - Northridge ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. CSUN is located in Northridge, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 307 ’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUN, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Northridge is $7,103 for california fine arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 full report on Fine & Studio Arts at CSUN

11

University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of California - Santa Barbara is a public institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 119 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UCSB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UCSB is $11,606 for California Fine Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at UCSB

12

With a ranking of #12, University of California - San Diego did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of California - San Diego is a large public school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 53 ’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california fine arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, UCSD has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCSD is $11,176 for California Fine Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at University of California - San Diego

13

University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. UCR is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 59 ’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

UCR also took the #19 spot in our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCR is $8,193 for California Fine Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UCR Fine & Studio Arts Report

14
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. San Jose State is located in San Jose, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 216 ’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

San Jose State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Schools in California” list. It costs about $13,378 for California Fine Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend San Jose State.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full San Jose State Fine & Studio Arts Report

15
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 230 ’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SDSU, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SDSU is $9,274 for California Fine Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at San Diego State University

16

California State University - East Bay ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cal State East Bay is a fairly large school located in Hayward, California that handed out 118 ’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal State East Bay did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - East Bay is $11,025 for California Fine Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Cal State East Bay

17

With a ranking of #17, California State University - Stanislaus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. California State University - Stanislaus is located in Turlock, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 35 ’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Stanislaus is $4,903 for California Fine Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Stanislaus Fine & Studio Arts Report

18
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 82 ’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

USC also took the #1 spot in our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Southern California is $17,345 for California Fine Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Southern California Fine & Studio Arts Report

19

University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. University of California - Santa Cruz is a fairly large public school situated in Santa Cruz, California. It awarded 147 ’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Santa Cruz not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Santa Cruz is $12,049 for California Fine Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. 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%.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at UC Santa Cruz

20
San Diego Mesa College crest
San Diego Mesa College
San Diego, California

San Diego Mesa College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. San Diego Mesa College is located in San Diego, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 30 ’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for San Diego Mesa College is $5,543 for california fine arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at San Diego Mesa College

21

With a ranking of #21, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Sacramento, California, this large public school awarded 60 degrees to qualified ’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Sac State is $9,055 for California Fine Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.

Full California State University - Sacramento Fine & Studio Arts Report

22

With a ranking of #22, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in San Luis Obispo, California, this large public school handed out 49 degrees to qualified ’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $13,194 for California Fine Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Fine & Studio Arts Report

23

California State University - Dominguez Hills came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. CSUDH is a fairly large public school situated in Carson, California. It awarded 45 ’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $3,329 for California Fine Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California State University - Dominguez Hills.

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%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at California State University - Dominguez Hills

24
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #24. San Francisco, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s Fine Arts degrees to 99 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california fine arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, SFSU has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for San Francisco State University is $11,862 for california fine arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full SFSU Fine & Studio Arts Report

25

California State University - Chico came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Fine Arts Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Chico State is a fairly large public school situated in Chico, California. It awarded 65 ’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Chico State, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Fine & Studio Arts Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $13,040 for california fine arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Chico State.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at California State University - Chico

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options