General Visual & Performing Arts is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
College Factual analyzed 12 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best general visual & performing arts schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall general visual & performing arts education in Illinois.
Leading the list is School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago, our #1 school for general visual & performing arts. Located in the city of Chicago, School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 67%. School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago awarded about 18 general visual & performing arts degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their general visual & performing arts degree from School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago earn around $38,205 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree.
Get the full general visual & performing arts details for School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago
A rank of #2 makes Elmhurst College one of the top schools for general visual & performing arts. Set in the suburb of Elmhurst, Elmhurst College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Elmhurst College graduates 70% of students within six years. About 10 general visual & performing arts degrees were awarded at Elmhurst College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, general visual & performing arts degree recipients from Elmhurst College generally make around $51,232. Typical student debt for the program is $22,400.
See the full general visual & performing arts program report for Elmhurst College
A rank of #3 makes Greenville College one of the top schools for general visual & performing arts. This small private not-for-profit university is located in the town of Greenville. Roughly 40% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 10 general visual & performing arts students who graduated with this degree at Greenville College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the general visual & performing arts program make about $36,911 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $25,933.
See the full general visual & performing arts program report for Greenville College
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 12 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
