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2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major

1,475 Ranked Colleges
37,413 Degrees Awarded
$33,400 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major

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 “Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major” ranking, we looked at 1,475 colleges that offer a degree in fine and studio arts. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular fine and studio arts programs in the United States.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Fine & Studio Arts Schools

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 “Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for fine arts students.

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major. School of the Art Institute of Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 708 ’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

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.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at School of the Art Institute of Chicago

2

Out of the 1,475 schools in the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Long Beach landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school handed out 424 diplomas to qualified ’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at CSULB

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fullerton. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major. California State University - Fullerton is a large public school situated in Fullerton, California. It awarded 419 ’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full California State University - Fullerton Fine & Studio Arts Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Northridge. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major 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.

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 California State University - Northridge

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Texas. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major list. Located in Denton, Texas, this large public school handed out 238 diplomas to qualified ’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at UNT

6
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San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major list. This large school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 230 ’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

7
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major list. Located in San Jose, California, this large public school awarded 216 degrees to qualified ’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full San Jose State University Fine & Studio Arts Report

8
Full Sail University crest
Full Sail University
Winter Park, Florida

With a ranking of #8, Full Sail University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major list. Full Sail University is a large private for-profit school situated in Winter Park, Florida. It awarded 214 ’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Full Sail University

9
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Georgia State University
Atlanta, Georgia

With a ranking of #9, Georgia State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major list. Atlanta, Georgia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s Fine Arts degrees to 190 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Georgia State University

10

Savannah College of Art and Design landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major ranking. Savannah College of Art and Design is located in Savannah, Georgia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 187 ’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

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 full report on Fine & Studio Arts at SCAD

11

Arizona State University - Tempe ranked #11 on this year’s Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major list. Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s Fine Arts degrees to 181 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at ASU - Tempe

12

University of Central Florida came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major ranking. University of Central Florida is a public institution located in Orlando, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 177 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Central Florida Fine & Studio Arts Report

12

With a ranking of #12, California State University - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school handed out 177 diplomas to qualified ’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 - Los Angeles

14
NYU crest
New York University
New York, New York

New York University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #14. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s Fine Arts degrees to 160 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at NYU

15
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #15. Iowa is a large school located in Iowa City, Iowa that handed out 157 ’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at University of Iowa

15
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia ranked #15 on this year’s Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major list. University of Georgia is a large school located in Athens, Georgia that handed out 157 ’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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%.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at UGA

15
Hunter crest
Hunter College
New York, New York

Hunter College ranked #15 on this year’s Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major list. Hunter is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 165 ’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Hunter College

18

University of California - Los Angeles came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major ranking. UCLA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 155 ’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

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

19

With a ranking of #19, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major list. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 154 ’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

20
UO crest
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon

University of Oregon did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major ranking, coming in at #20. Eugene, Oregon is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s Fine Arts degrees to 153 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at University of Oregon

21

The University of Texas at Arlington ranked #21 on this year’s Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major list. UT Arlington is a large public school situated in Arlington, Texas. It awarded 151 ’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at UT Arlington

22
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major ranking. Florida State University is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 149 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 Florida State University

23
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Towson University
Towson, Maryland

Towson University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major ranking. Towson is a large public school situated in Towson, Maryland. It awarded 148 ’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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Towson

24

With a ranking of #24, University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major list. University of California - Santa Cruz is located in Santa Cruz, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 147 ’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of California - Santa Cruz Fine & Studio Arts Report

25

University of Washington - Seattle Campus came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major ranking. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school handed out 145 diplomas to qualified ’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.

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 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 Washington - Seattle Campus

Rest of the Best 50 in Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
27
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Bard College
Annandale-On-Hudson, New York
27
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Pratt Institute - Main
Brooklyn, New York
30
31
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James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia
32
33
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University of Houston
Houston, Texas
34
35
35
37
38
39
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Rhode Island School of Design
Providence, Rhode Island
40
40
42
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University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida
43
44
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46
47
48
49
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51Illinois State UniversityNormal, IL
51Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, PA
51Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, VA
54School of Visual ArtsNew York, NY
55Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeBaton Rouge, LA
56Colorado State University - Fort CollinsFort Collins, CO
56University of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, NC
58California State University - San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CA
59San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, CA
59University of ArizonaTucson, AZ
61Pasadena City CollegePasadena, CA
62Arizona State University - SkysongScottsdale, AZ
63Western Washington UniversityBellingham, WA
63Florida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton, FL
65Portland State UniversityPortland, OR
RankCollegeLocation
66University of Hawaii at ManoaHonolulu, HI
66Fullerton CollegeFullerton, CA
68LaGuardia Community CollegeLong Island City, NY
69University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, CO
69University of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotte, NC
71University of California - DavisDavis, CA
71The New SchoolNew York, NY
73SUNY Empire State CollegeSaratoga Springs, NY
73East Carolina UniversityGreenville, NC
75Academy of Art UniversitySan Francisco, CA
75Texas State UniversitySan Marcos, TX
75Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York, NY
78Indiana University - BloomingtonBloomington, IN
78Kent State University at KentKent, OH
80University of Maryland - College ParkCollege Park, MD
80University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA
82Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb, IL
83University of Minnesota - Twin CitiesMinneapolis, MN
84University at BuffaloBuffalo, NY
84University of UtahSalt Lake City, UT
84Alfred UniversityAlfred, NY
87Northern Michigan UniversityMarquette, MI
87Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN
89Humboldt State UniversityArcata, CA
90University of South Carolina - ColumbiaColumbia, SC
RankCollegeLocation
90University of Cincinnati - Main CampusCincinnati, OH
90University of North FloridaJacksonville, FL
90University of New Mexico - Main CampusAlbuquerque, NM
94The College of New JerseyEwing, NJ
94Eastern Illinois UniversityCharleston, IL
96Northern Virginia Community CollegeAnnandale, VA
96The University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antonio, TX
96University of ArkansasFayetteville, AR
99University of Virginia - Main CampusCharlottesville, VA
99University of Nebraska at OmahaOmaha, NE
99Tufts UniversityMedford, MA
102California College of the ArtsSan Francisco, CA
102The University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL
102University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY
102Borough of Manhattan Community CollegeNew York, NY
106Sotheby’s Institute of Art - NYNew York, NY
106University of MemphisMemphis, TN
106Boston UniversityBoston, MA
109Queens CollegeQueens, NY
109Binghamton UniversityVestal, NY
109Yale UniversityNew Haven, CT
112Brooklyn CollegeBrooklyn, NY
113University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherst, MA
113California State University - ChicoChico, CA
113California State University - Channel IslandsCamarillo, CA
RankCollegeLocation
113Stephen F Austin State UniversityNacogdoches, TX
113Utah State UniversityLogan, UT
118Rowan UniversityGlassboro, NJ
118SUNY OswegoOswego, NY
120Middle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboro, TN
120Brigham Young University - ProvoProvo, UT
122Long Beach City CollegeLong Beach, CA
122El Camino CollegeTorrance, CA
122Purchase CollegePurchase, NY
122Ohio University - Athens CampusAthens, OH
126California State University - SacramentoSacramento, CA
126Azusa Pacific UniversityAzusa, CA
126University of Northern ColoradoGreeley, CO
126George Washington UniversityWashington, DC
126Virginia TechBlacksburg, VA
126William Paterson University of New JerseyWayne, NJ
132University of California - RiversideRiverside, CA
133Missouri State University - SpringfieldSpringfield, MO
133University of Maryland - Baltimore CountyBaltimore, MD
133Rutgers University - New BrunswickNew Brunswick, NJ
133Kansas City Art InstituteKansas City, MO
137County College of MorrisRandolph, NJ
137Grand Valley State UniversityAllendale, MI
137University of North GeorgiaDahlonega, GA
137Old Dominion UniversityNorfolk, VA
RankCollegeLocation
137The University of Tennessee - ChattanoogaChattanooga, TN
142Chaffey CollegeRancho Cucamonga, CA
142Syracuse UniversitySyracuse, NY
142Loyola Marymount UniversityLos Angeles, CA
142Santa Monica CollegeSanta Monica, CA
142Wayne State UniversityDetroit, MI
142Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine ArtsPhiladelphia, PA
142The University of Texas at El PasoEl Paso, TX
142Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, TX
150Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and ArtNew York, NY
150Orange Coast CollegeCosta Mesa, CA
150University of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsville, AL
150University of Nevada - Las VegasLas Vegas, NV
154Tulane University of LouisianaNew Orleans, LA
154Radford UniversityRadford, VA
154University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA
154University of California - San DiegoLa Jolla, CA
158Modesto Junior CollegeModesto, CA
158Purdue University Fort WayneFort Wayne, IN
158University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, IL
161Ringling College of Art and DesignSarasota, FL
161Fordham UniversityBronx, NY
161University of Alabama at BirminghamBirmingham, AL
161University of Southern IndianaEvansville, IN
161University of KansasLawrence, KS
RankCollegeLocation
161Kansas State UniversityManhattan, KS
161Bowling Green State University - Main CampusBowling Green, OH
168College of CharlestonCharleston, SC
168Pacific Northwest College of ArtPortland, OR
168West Virginia UniversityMorgantown, WV
168Montana State UniversityBozeman, MT
172Western Carolina UniversityCullowhee, NC
172University of Louisiana at LafayetteLafayette, LA
172Northern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights, KY
172Salisbury UniversitySalisbury, MD
172The University of Tennessee - KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN
172Williams CollegeWilliamstown, MA
172California Polytechnic State University - San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA
172Eastern Michigan UniversityYpsilanti, MI
180Saddleback CollegeMission Viejo, CA
180Platt College - San DiegoSan Diego, CA
180University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC
180Georgia Southern UniversityStatesboro, GA
180SUNY New PaltzNew Paltz, NY
185Montclair State UniversityMontclair, NJ
185New Jersey City UniversityJersey City, NJ
185Stony Brook UniversityStony Brook, NY
185University of Wisconsin - Eau ClaireEau Claire, WI
185University of DelawareNewark, DE
185Southern Illinois University CarbondaleCarbondale, IL
RankCollegeLocation
191New York Academy of ArtNew York, NY
191Queensborough Community CollegeBayside, NY
191Minnesota State University - MankatoMankato, MN
191Bridgewater State UniversityBridgewater, MA
191University of ConnecticutStorrs, CT
191University at AlbanyAlbany, NY
197California State University - Dominguez HillsCarson, CA
197University of Nebraska at KearneyKearney, NE
199University of Illinois at ChicagoChicago, IL
199Bakersfield CollegeBakersfield, CA
199Kennesaw State UniversityKennesaw, GA
199Snow CollegeEphraim, UT
203University of VermontBurlington, VT
203The University of West FloridaPensacola, FL
203University of Nebraska - LincolnLincoln, NE
203Cleveland Institute of ArtCleveland, OH
203Austin Peay State UniversityClarksville, TN
203Buffalo StateBuffalo, NY
203Washington University in St LouisSaint Louis, MO
210Rhode Island CollegeProvidence, RI
210University of Nevada - RenoReno, NV
210University of Oklahoma Norman CampusNorman, OK
213Glendale Community CollegeGlendale, CA
213Appalachian State UniversityBoone, NC
213Sierra CollegeRocklin, CA
RankCollegeLocation
213University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh CampusPittsburgh, PA
213El Paso Community CollegeEl Paso, TX
213Western Kentucky UniversityBowling Green, KY
213The College at BrockportBrockport, NY
220Brown UniversityProvidence, RI
220University of Wisconsin - Stevens PointStevens Point, WI
220University of Houston - Clear LakeHouston, TX
220California State University - FresnoFresno, CA
220Lehman CollegeBronx, NY
220Millersville University of PennsylvaniaMillersville, PA
220Southeastern Louisiana UniversityHammond, LA
220Marist CollegePoughkeepsie, NY

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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