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2023 Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Visual & Performing Arts in California

20 Ranked Colleges
476 Degrees Awarded
$26,349 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor'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 Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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.

Across California, there were 1,198 general visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $26,951 and $24,479 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 476 general visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,566 and $21,995 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s” ranking, we looked at 20 colleges that offer a degree in general visual and performing arts. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in general visual and performing arts.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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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 Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that 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. 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.

Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s

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

1

Out of the 20 schools in the Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - San Diego landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 84 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of California - San Diego General Visual & Performing Arts Report

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - San Marcos. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. San Marcos, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s visual arts degrees to 59 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - San Marcos General Visual & Performing Arts Report

3
Otis College of Art and Design crest
Otis College of Art and Design
Los Angeles, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Otis College of Art and Design. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s. Otis College of Art and Design is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 52 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national 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

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Hussian College-Relativity Campus California. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. Hussian College-Relativity Campus California is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 51 bachelors’s visual arts degrees to qualified students.

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

5
Azusa Pacific crest
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Azusa Pacific University. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s. Located in Azusa, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 48 degrees to qualified bachelors’s visual arts students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Azusa Pacific University General Visual & Performing Arts Report

6
Academy of Art University crest
Academy of Art University
San Francisco, California

Academy of Art University ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. Located in San Francisco, California, this medium-sized private for-profit school awarded 40 degrees to qualified bachelors’s visual arts students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Academy of Art University General Visual & Performing Arts Report

7
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #7, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. University of Southern California is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 37 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Southern California General Visual & Performing Arts Report

8
Gnomon crest
Gnomon
Hollywood, California

With a ranking of #8, Gnomon did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s 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%.

Full Gnomon General Visual & Performing Arts Report

9

California State University - Channel Islands did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #9. California State University - Channel Islands is a medium-sized school located in Camarillo, California that handed out 20 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

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 more about General Visual & Performing Arts at California State University - Channel Islands

10
Columbia College Hollywood crest
Columbia College Hollywood
Tarzana, California

Columbia College Hollywood landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. Columbia College Hollywood is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Tarzana, California. It awarded 15 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Columbia College Hollywood General Visual & Performing Arts Report

11
USFCA crest
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #11, University of San Francisco did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. This fairly large school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

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 General Visual & Performing Arts at University of San Francisco

12
PLNU crest
Point Loma Nazarene University
San Diego, California

Point Loma Nazarene University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #12. PLNU is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%.

Full Point Loma Nazarene University General Visual & Performing Arts Report

13

University of California - Merced landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of California - Merced is a public institution located in Merced, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at UC Merced

14
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. San Jose State University is located in San Jose, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s visual 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 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full San Jose State University General Visual & Performing Arts Report

15
Cal Baptist crest
California Baptist University
Riverside, California

California Baptist University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #15. Cal Baptist is located in Riverside, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s visual arts degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%.

Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at California Baptist University

16
SFAI crest
San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco, California

San Francisco Art Institute did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #16. San Francisco, 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 2 students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at San Francisco Art Institute

16
MCU crest
Marymount California University
Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Marymount California University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 2 degrees to qualified bachelors’s visual arts students in 2020-2021.

Full MCU General Visual & Performing Arts Report

18

Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art ranked #18 on this year’s Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s list.

Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art

18
Woodbury crest
Woodbury University
Burbank, California

Woodbury University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. Woodbury is located in Burbank, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 0 bachelors’s visual arts degrees to qualified students.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%.

Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at Woodbury University

18

Dominican University of California came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Visual Arts Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. DUofC is located in San Rafael, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 0 bachelors’s visual arts degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Dominican University of California General Visual & Performing Arts Report

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