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2023 Most Popular Master’s Degree Colleges for Fine & Studio Arts in California

32 Ranked Colleges
367 Degrees Awarded
$27,679 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master's

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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.

Across California, there were 6,526 fine and studio arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $25,004 and $23,549 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 367 fine and studio arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $62,974 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s” ranking analyzed 32 colleges that offered a degree in fine and studio arts. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in fine and studio arts.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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 by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s

The colleges and universities below are the best for california master’s degree fine arts students.

1
Academy of Art University crest
Academy of Art University
San Francisco, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Academy of Art University. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s. Academy of Art University is a medium-sized private for-profit school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 55 masters’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Academy of Art University

2
Azusa Pacific crest
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, California

Out of the 32 schools in the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Azusa Pacific University landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Azusa, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 41 diplomas to qualified masters’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at Azusa Pacific

3
California College of the Arts crest
California College of the Arts
San Francisco, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California College of the Arts. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s. San Francisco, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s Fine Arts degrees to 28 students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at California College of the Arts

4

Out of the 32 schools in the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Davis landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Davis, California, this large public school awarded 21 degrees to qualified masters’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fullerton. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s. Cal State Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 18 masters’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 89%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Cal State Fullerton

5

Out of the 32 schools in the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #5 spot on the list. University of California - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 18 masters’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

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%.

Full University of California - Los Angeles Fine & Studio Arts Report

7
Art Center College of Design crest
Art Center College of Design
Pasadena, California

Art Center College of Design came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s ranking. Art Center College of Design is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pasadena, California. It awarded 17 masters’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Art Center College of Design Fine & Studio Arts Report

8
SFAI crest
San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco, California

San Francisco Art Institute did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #8. San Francisco Art Institute is a small school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 14 masters’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full San Francisco Art Institute Fine & Studio Arts Report

9

California State University - Long Beach came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s ranking. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school awarded 13 diplomas to qualified masters’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full CSULB Fine & Studio Arts Report

9

California State University - Northridge ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s list. CSUN is located in Northridge, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 masters’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

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%.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at CSUN

9
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #9, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified masters’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about Fine & Studio Arts at University of Southern California

12
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

With a ranking of #12, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s list. SDSU is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 masters’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

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

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at San Diego State University

12
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s ranking. San Jose State is a public institution located in San Jose, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 12 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at San Jose State University

12
Mills crest
Mills College
Oakland, California

Mills College ranked #12 on this year’s Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s list. Oakland, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s Fine Arts degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 Mills

15
Otis College of Art and Design crest
Otis College of Art and Design
Los Angeles, California

Otis College of Art and Design landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s Fine Arts degrees to 11 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at Otis College of Art and Design

15
LCAD crest
Laguna College of Art and Design
Laguna Beach, California

Laguna College of Art and Design landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s ranking. Laguna Beach, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s Fine Arts degrees to 11 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 full report on Fine & Studio Arts at LCAD

17

California Institute of the Arts came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s ranking. CalArts is located in Valencia, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 masters’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at California Institute of the Arts

18
Claremont Graduate University crest
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont, California

With a ranking of #18, Claremont Graduate University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s list. Claremont Graduate University is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 7 masters’s Fine Arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Claremont Graduate University Fine & Studio Arts Report

19

California State University - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #19. California State University - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 masters’s Fine Arts degrees to qualified students.

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

19

California Institute of Integral Studies came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s ranking. Located in San Francisco, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 6 degrees to qualified masters’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at CIIS

19

University of California - Berkeley landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s ranking. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school awarded 6 degrees to qualified masters’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UC Berkeley Fine & Studio Arts Report

22

University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Santa Cruz, California, this fairly large public school handed out 5 diplomas to qualified masters’s Fine Arts students in 2020-2021.

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 University of California - Santa Cruz

22

California State University - San Bernardino did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #22. Located in San Bernardino, California, this fairly large public school handed out 5 degrees to qualified masters’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. 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%.

Full California State University - San Bernardino Fine & Studio Arts Report

24

University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #24. Santa Barbara, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s Fine Arts degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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%.

Read full report on Fine & Studio Arts at UCSB

24
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Fine Arts Major in California for a Master’s ranking. San Francisco State University is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full San Francisco State University Fine & Studio Arts Report

Notes and References

References

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