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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Visual & Performing Arts

268 Ranked Colleges
3,794 Degrees Awarded
$24,917 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major” ranking.

General Visual & Performing Arts is the 116th most popular major in the country with 6,355 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,794 general visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major” ranking looked at 268 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.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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 for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree visual arts students.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Visual & Performing Arts

1

Out of the 268 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Hussian College-Relativity Campus California landed the #1 spot on the list. Hussian College-Relativity Campus California is a small private for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 51 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at Hussian College-Relativity Campus California

2
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Hussian College
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Out of the 268 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Hussian College landed the #2 spot on the list. Hussian is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 bachelors’s visual arts degrees to qualified students.

Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at Hussian

3
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Gnomon
Hollywood, California

Out of the 268 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Gnomon landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Hollywood, California, this small private for-profit school awarded 31 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s visual arts students in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at Gnomon

4
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Otis College of Art and Design
Los Angeles, California

Out of the 268 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Otis College of Art and Design landed the #4 spot on the list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s visual arts degrees to 52 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%. 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

5
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Moore College of Art and Design
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Moore College of Art and Design. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major. This small school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

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

6
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Bloomfield College
Bloomfield, New Jersey

With a ranking of #6, Bloomfield College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. Bloomfield College is located in Bloomfield, New Jersey and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 51 bachelors’s visual arts degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at Bloomfield College

7
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Bennington College
Bennington, Vermont

Bennington College ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. Bennington is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bennington, Vermont. It awarded 33 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at Bennington

8

With a ranking of #8, University of Advancing Technology did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s 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 bachelors’s visual arts degrees to 16 students in 2020-2021.

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

9

With a ranking of #9, Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. EAPD is a small school located in San Juan, that handed out 6 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at EAPD

10

Pacific Northwest College of Art ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. Pacific Northwest College of Art is a small school located in Portland, Oregon that handed out 9 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at Pacific Northwest College of Art

11
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Columbia College Hollywood
Tarzana, California

With a ranking of #11, Columbia College Hollywood did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. Columbia College Hollywood is a small school located in Tarzana, California that handed out 15 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

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

12

University of North Carolina at Asheville landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking. Located in Asheville, North Carolina, this small public school awarded 43 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s visual arts students in 2020-2021.

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

13
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Southern Virginia University
Buena Vista, Virginia

Southern Virginia University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking, coming in at #13. Buena Vista, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s visual arts degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.

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

14
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Sweet Briar College
Sweet Briar, Virginia

With a ranking of #14, Sweet Briar College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. Sweet Briar, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s visual arts degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

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. 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%.

Full Sweet Briar General Visual & Performing Arts Report

15

Maryland Institute College of Art ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. This small school is located in Baltimore, Maryland, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

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 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 more about General Visual & Performing Arts at MICA

16
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Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
North Adams, Massachusetts

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking. This small school is located in North Adams, Massachusetts, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s visual arts degrees 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. 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 more about General Visual & Performing Arts at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

17
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Gallaudet University
Washington, District of Columbia

Gallaudet University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking, coming in at #17. This small school is located in Washington, District of Columbia, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at Gallaudet

18
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Full Sail University
Winter Park, Florida

With a ranking of #18, Full Sail University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. Full Sail University is a large school located in Winter Park, Florida that handed out 261 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at Full Sail University

19
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Christopher Newport University
Newport News, Virginia

With a ranking of #19, Christopher Newport University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. Newport News, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s visual arts degrees to 46 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 87%.

Full CNU General Visual & Performing Arts Report

20

Southern Oregon University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking. Located in Ashland, Oregon, this medium-sized public school handed out 45 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s visual arts students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at Southern Oregon University

21
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Longwood University
Farmville, Virginia

Longwood University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking, coming in at #21. Longwood University is located in Farmville, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 34 bachelors’s visual 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 more about General Visual & Performing Arts at Longwood University

22
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LaGrange College
Lagrange, Georgia

LaGrange College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking. LaGrange College is a small school located in Lagrange, Georgia that handed out 9 bachelors’s visual arts degrees 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.

Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at LaGrange College

23
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San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco, California

San Francisco Art Institute came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking. San Francisco Art Institute is a small school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 2 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full SFAI General Visual & Performing Arts Report

24

The University of Texas at Dallas ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major list. The University of Texas at Dallas is a large school located in Richardson, Texas that handed out 285 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. 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 more about General Visual & Performing Arts at The University of Texas at Dallas

25
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Dakota Wesleyan University
Mitchell, South Dakota

Dakota Wesleyan University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major ranking. Dakota Wesleyan University is located in Mitchell, South Dakota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s visual arts degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at Dakota Wesleyan University

Rest of the Best 41 in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual Arts Major

Not only did these schools make the top 41 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
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Johnson C Smith University
Charlotte, North Carolina
27
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Blackburn College
Carlinville, Illinois
28
SUNY Oneonta crest
SUNY Oneonta
Oneonta, New York
29
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Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Kutztown, Pennsylvania
30
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Greenville University
Greenville, Illinois
31
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Bennett College
Greensboro, North Carolina
32
Bethany College Kansas crest
Bethany College Kansas
Lindsborg, Kansas
33
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University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
34
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Stetson University
DeLand, Florida
35
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Eckerd College
Saint Petersburg, Florida
36
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Champlain College
Burlington, Vermont
37
Academy of Art University crest
Academy of Art University
San Francisco, California
38
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The College of Westchester
White Plains, New York
39
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Rogers State University
Claremore, Oklahoma
40
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Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
41
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SUNY Old Westbury
Old Westbury, New York

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