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2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major

462 Ranked Colleges
6,355 Degrees Awarded
$33,300 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2020-2021, 6,355 people earned their degree in general visual and performing arts, making the major the 116th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, general visual and performing arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $25,134 and had an average of $26,019 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major” ranking looked at 462 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general visual and performing arts. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their general visual and performing arts program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

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 “Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that 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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major”.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for General Visual & Performing Arts

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Hussian College-Relativity Campus California. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. Hussian College-Relativity Campus California is a small private for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 51 ’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Hussian College-Relativity Campus California General Visual & Performing Arts Report

2

Out of the 462 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Young Americans College of the Performing Arts landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Corona, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 31 degrees to qualified ’s visual arts students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at Young Americans College of the Performing Arts

3
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Hussian College
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Out of the 462 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Hussian College landed the #3 spot on the list. Hussian is a private for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 19 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at Hussian

4
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Gnomon
Hollywood, California

Out of the 462 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Gnomon landed the #4 spot on the list. Gnomon is located in Hollywood, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 31 ’s visual arts degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Gnomon General Visual & Performing Arts Report

5
Otis College of Art and Design crest
Otis College of Art and Design
Los Angeles, California

Out of the 462 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Otis College of Art and Design landed the #5 spot on the list. Otis College of Art and Design is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 52 ’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Otis College of Art and Design General Visual & Performing Arts Report

6
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Moore College of Art and Design
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Moore College of Art and Design did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking, coming in at #6. Moore College of Art and Design is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 19 ’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Moore College General Visual & Performing Arts Report

7
Bloomfield College crest
Bloomfield College
Bloomfield, New Jersey

Bloomfield College landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking. Bloomfield, New Jersey is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s visual arts degrees to 51 students in 2020-2021.

Full Bloomfield College General Visual & Performing Arts Report

8

University of Advancing Technology ranked #8 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s visual arts degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at University of Advancing Technology

9
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Bennington College
Bennington, Vermont

With a ranking of #9, Bennington College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. Located in Bennington, Vermont, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 33 diplomas to qualified ’s visual arts students 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 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at Bennington College

10

Minneapolis College of Art and Design ranked #10 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s visual arts degrees to 17 students 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at Minneapolis College of Art and Design

11

Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking, coming in at #11. Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico is a small school located in San Juan, that handed out 6 ’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico

12

With a ranking of #12, Pacific Northwest College of Art did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. Pacific Northwest College of Art is a private not-for-profit institution located in Portland, Oregon. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Pacific Northwest College of Art General Visual & Performing Arts Report

13
Columbia College Hollywood crest
Columbia College Hollywood
Tarzana, California

Columbia College Hollywood came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking. Located in Tarzana, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 15 diplomas to qualified ’s visual arts students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at Columbia College Hollywood

14

Columbus College of Art and Design landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 14 diplomas to qualified ’s visual arts students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Columbus College of Art and Design General Visual & Performing Arts Report

15

University of North Carolina at Asheville came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking. Located in Asheville, North Carolina, this small public school awarded 43 diplomas to qualified ’s visual arts students in 2020-2021.

Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at University of North Carolina at Asheville

16
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Full Sail University
Winter Park, Florida

Full Sail University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking, coming in at #16. Winter Park, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s visual arts degrees to 405 students in 2020-2021.

Full Full Sail University General Visual & Performing Arts Report

17
SVU crest
Southern Virginia University
Buena Vista, Virginia

With a ranking of #17, Southern Virginia University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. Buena Vista, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s visual arts degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.

Full Southern Virginia University General Visual & Performing Arts Report

18
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Sweet Briar College
Sweet Briar, Virginia

Sweet Briar College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking. Located in Sweet Briar, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 3 diplomas to qualified ’s visual arts students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at Sweet Briar College

19

Maryland Institute College of Art did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking, coming in at #19. Maryland Institute College of Art is located in Baltimore, Maryland and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 27 ’s visual arts degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at MICA

20
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Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
North Adams, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #20, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is a small public school situated in North Adams, Massachusetts. It awarded 14 ’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full MCLA General Visual & Performing Arts Report

21
Gallaudet crest
Gallaudet University
Washington, District of Columbia

Gallaudet University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking. Gallaudet is a small school located in Washington, District of Columbia that handed out 16 ’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at Gallaudet University

22
Academy of Art University crest
Academy of Art University
San Francisco, California

Academy of Art University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking. Academy of Art University is located in San Francisco, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 63 ’s visual arts degrees to qualified students.

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 more about General Visual & Performing Arts at Academy of Art University

23
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Christopher Newport University
Newport News, Virginia

Christopher Newport University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking, coming in at #23. CNU is a public institution located in Newport News, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 46 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at CNU

24

With a ranking of #24, The University of Texas at Dallas did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. This large school is located in Richardson, Texas, and it awarded 302 ’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.8% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at UT Dallas

25

Southern Oregon University ranked #25 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Ashland, Oregon, and it awarded 45 ’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at Southern Oregon University

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools Highly Focused on Visual 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
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Longwood University
Farmville, Virginia
27
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LaGrange College
Lagrange, Georgia
28
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San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco, California
29
Dakota Wesleyan University crest
Dakota Wesleyan University
Mitchell, South Dakota
30
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Johnson C Smith University
Charlotte, North Carolina
31
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Blackburn College
Carlinville, Illinois
32
SUNY Oneonta crest
SUNY Oneonta
Oneonta, New York
33
34
Kutztown University crest
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Kutztown, Pennsylvania
35
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Greenville University
Greenville, Illinois
36
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Bennett College
Greensboro, North Carolina
37
38
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Spartanburg Methodist College
Spartanburg, South Carolina
39
Andrew College crest
Andrew College
Cuthbert, Georgia
40
Bethany College Kansas crest
Bethany College Kansas
Lindsborg, Kansas
41
Pitt Greensburg crest
University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
42
43
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Stetson University
DeLand, Florida
44
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Dutchess Community College
Poughkeepsie, New York
45
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Eckerd College
Saint Petersburg, Florida
46
Champlain crest
Champlain College
Burlington, Vermont
47
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The College of Westchester
White Plains, New York
48
Purchase College crest
Purchase College
Purchase, New York
49
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Rogers State University
Claremore, Oklahoma
50
Mercer County Community College crest
Mercer County Community College
West Windsor, New Jersey

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major

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

Rank College Location
51 Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, MO
52 Bronx Community College Bronx, NY
53 SUNY Old Westbury Old Westbury, NY
54 Warren Wilson College Swannanoa, NC
55 Cheyney University of Pennsylvania Cheyney, PA
56 University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Colorado Springs, CO
57 SUNY Ulster Stone Ridge, NY
58 Wilson College Chambersburg, PA
59 Gordon State College Barnesville, GA
60 University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, IN
61 School of the Art Institute of Chicago Chicago, IL
62 SUNY New Paltz New Paltz, NY
63 Millsaps College Jackson, MS
64 Victor Valley College Victorville, CA
65 Northern Vermont University Johnson, VT
Rank College Location
66 Lesley University Cambridge, MA
67 University of Pittsburgh - Bradford Bradford, PA
68 Iowa Wesleyan University Mount Pleasant, IA
69 Atlanta Metropolitan State College Atlanta, GA
70 Middlesex County College Edison, NJ

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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