by our College Data Analytics Team
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Fine & Studio Arts is the 31st most popular major in the country with 37,413 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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.
At the associate degree level specifically, there were 4,205 fine and studio arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,806 and $19,336 respectively.
This year’s “Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate” ranking looked at 400 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.
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 “Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate”.
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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
The colleges and universities below are the best for associate degree fine arts students.
Out of the 400 schools in the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Pasadena City College landed the #1 spot on the list. Pasadena City College is a public institution located in Pasadena, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 96 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Out of the 400 schools in the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Fullerton College landed the #2 spot on the list. Fullerton College is located in Fullerton, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 89 associates’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend LaGuardia Community College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate list. This fairly large school is located in Long Island City, New York, and it awarded 88 associates’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at LaGuardia Community College
Out of the 400 schools in the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Fashion Institute of Technology landed the #4 spot on the list. Fashion Institute of Technology is a medium-sized school located in New York, New York that handed out 81 associates’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northern Virginia Community College. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate. Annandale, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s Fine Arts degrees to 72 students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Northern Virginia Community College
With a ranking of #6, Borough of Manhattan Community College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate list. Borough of Manhattan Community College is a fairly large school located in New York, New York that handed out 70 associates’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Borough of Manhattan Community College
El Camino College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate ranking. This fairly large school is located in Torrance, California, and it awarded 61 associates’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Long Beach City College ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate list. Long Beach City College is a large school located in Long Beach, California that handed out 61 associates’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Long Beach City College
County College of Morris did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate ranking, coming in at #9. This medium-sized school is located in Randolph, New Jersey, and it awarded 57 associates’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at County College of Morris
Chaffey College ranked #10 on this year’s Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate list. Rancho Cucamonga, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s Fine Arts degrees to 56 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Santa Monica College ranked #10 on this year’s Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate list. SMC is a public institution located in Santa Monica, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 56 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Orange Coast College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate ranking. Orange Coast College is a fairly large public school situated in Costa Mesa, California. It awarded 55 associates’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Modesto Junior College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate ranking. This fairly large school is located in Modesto, California, and it awarded 52 associates’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Modesto Junior College
Saddleback College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate ranking, coming in at #14. Saddleback College is a fairly large public school situated in Mission Viejo, California. It awarded 48 associates’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Queensborough Community College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate ranking. Bayside, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s Fine Arts degrees to 46 students in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #16, Snow College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate list. Ephraim, Utah is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s Fine Arts degrees to 44 students in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #16, Bakersfield College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate list. Bakersfield College is a public institution located in Bakersfield, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 44 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
El Paso Community College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate ranking, coming in at #18. Located in El Paso, Texas, this large public school handed out 41 diplomas to qualified associates’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at El Paso Community College
Glendale Community College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate ranking. Glendale Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Glendale, California. It awarded 41 associates’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Glendale Community College
Sierra College ranked #18 on this year’s Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate list. This fairly large school is located in Rocklin, California, and it awarded 41 associates’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Sail University ranked #21 on this year’s Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate list. Located in Winter Park, Florida, this large private for-profit school handed out 40 degrees to qualified associates’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Full Sail University
Hudson County Community College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate ranking. Located in Jersey City, New Jersey, this medium-sized public school handed out 39 diplomas to qualified associates’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.
Mt. San Jacinto College ranked #22 on this year’s Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate list. Located in San Jacinto, California, this fairly large public school awarded 39 diplomas to qualified associates’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Mt. San Jacinto College
Austin Community College District did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate ranking, coming in at #24. Austin Community College District is a public institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 36 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Austin Community College District
With a ranking of #24, Southwestern College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major for an Associate list. SWC Chula Vista is a fairly large public school situated in Chula Vista, California. It awarded 36 associates’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Southwestern College
Not only did these schools make the top 52 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 53 | College of the Sequoias | Visalia, CA |
| 53 | College of Western Idaho | Nampa, ID |
| 53 | Antelope Valley College | Lancaster, CA |
| 56 | Community College of Rhode Island | Warwick, RI |
| 56 | College of the Desert | Palm Desert, CA |
| 58 | Grand Rapids Community College | Grand Rapids, MI |
| 58 | Tunxis Community College | Farmington, CT |
| 58 | MiraCosta College | Oceanside, CA |
| 58 | San Diego Miramar College | San Diego, CA |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
