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2023 Best General Visual & Performing Arts Colleges for Veterans in the Southwest Region

13 Ranked Colleges
844 Degrees Awarded
$29,700 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Visual Arts

When it comes to choosing a college, veterans 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 “Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Visual Arts” 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.

Across the Southwest region, there were 844 general visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $25,687 and $20,724 respectively.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Visual Arts” ranking looked at 13 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general visual and performing arts. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general visual and performing arts programs, but they also offer a lot of support to veterans and active service members.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general visual and performing arts program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran population. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Visual Arts Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Visual Arts” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Visual Arts

The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region vets studying visual arts.

Top 13 Best General Visual & Performing Arts Colleges for Veterans in the Southwest Region

1
Texas Tech crest
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Texas Tech University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Visual Arts list. Lubbock, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s visual arts degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.

Texas Tech also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 40,322 students enrolled at Texas Tech, 1,242 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 630 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,480. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Texas Tech Veteran Student Life Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Arizona State University - Tempe. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Visual Arts. Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s visual arts degrees to 23 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southwest region vets studying visual arts list, ASU - Tempe has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 74,795 students enrolled at ASU - Tempe, 7,566 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 3,828 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,068. To help with additional expenses, 672 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Arizona State University - Tempe Veteran Student Life Report

3

Out of the 13 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Visual Arts that were part of this year’s ranking, University of New Mexico - Main Campus landed the #3 spot on the list. UNM is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 35 ’s visual arts degrees to qualified students.

UNM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 22,311 students enrolled at UNM were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UNM]](/colleges/university-of-new-mexico-main-campus/student-life/veterans/)

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Texas at Dallas. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Visual Arts list. This large school is located in Richardson, Texas, and it awarded 302 ’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Dallas, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 752 of the 28,669 students enrolled at The University of Texas at Dallas were GI Bill® students, of which 458 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,706. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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 [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UT Dallas]](/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-dallas/student-life/veterans/)

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Austin Community College District. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Visual Arts list. This large school is located in Austin, Texas, and it awarded 71 ’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Austin Community College District did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Austin Community College District supports 39,896 students, and 2,473 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 59 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $735. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

6

The University of Texas at Austin came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Visual Arts ranking. UT Austin is a public institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 84 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UT Austin also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, UT Austin supports 50,476 students, and 7 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,893. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

7

With a ranking of #7, University of Advancing Technology did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Visual Arts list. University of Advancing Technology is located in Tempe, Arizona and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 ’s visual arts degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Advancing Technology, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, University of Advancing Technology supports 836 students, and 168 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 123 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,000. In addition to receiving other benefits, 19 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Advancing Technology offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Full University of Advancing Technology Veteran Student Life Report

8
Grand Canyon University crest
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, Arizona

Grand Canyon University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Visual Arts ranking. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, this large private for-profit school handed out 47 diplomas to qualified ’s visual arts students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southwest region vets studying visual arts list, Grand Canyon University has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 103,427 students enrolled at Grand Canyon University, 7,172 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 4,951 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,970. In addition to receiving other benefits, 5 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Grand Canyon University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

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

Full Grand Canyon University Veteran Student Life Report

9
Pima County Community College District crest
Pima Community College
Tucson, Arizona

With a ranking of #9, Pima Community College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Visual Arts list. Pima Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Tucson, Arizona. It awarded 46 ’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Pima County Community College District also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 15,544 students enrolled at Pima Community College, 853 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 426 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $1,036. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Pima County Community College District]](/colleges/pima-community-college/student-life/veterans/)

10

With a ranking of #10, New Mexico State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Visual Arts list. NMSU Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Las Cruces, New Mexico that handed out 22 ’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

NMSU Main Campus also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, New Mexico State University - Main Campus supports 14,227 students, and 620 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 285 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,880. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Full NMSU Main Campus Veteran Student Life Report

11
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas

Rice University ranked #11 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Visual Arts list. Rice University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 26 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Rice also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 7,643 students enrolled at Rice, 157 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 80 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $18,656. In addition to receiving other benefits, 68 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Rice Veteran Student Life Report

12

University of Houston - Downtown ranked #12 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Visual Arts list. Houston, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s visual arts degrees to 16 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southwest region vets studying visual arts list, UH Downtown has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, UH Downtown supports 15,239 students, and 20 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 20 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,002. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. UH Downtown does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

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

Full University of Houston - Downtown Veteran Student Life Report

13
RSU crest
Rogers State University
Claremore, Oklahoma

Rogers State University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Visual Arts ranking. This small school is located in Claremore, Oklahoma, and it awarded 14 ’s visual arts degrees in 2020-2021.

RSU also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 3,400 students enrolled at RSU, 205 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 73 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,667. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

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

Read More…

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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