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2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region

230 Ranked Colleges
13,660 Degrees Awarded
$26,448 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 149,215 visual and performing arts students received their degree, making the major the 10th most popular in the country. In 2019-2020, visual and performing arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $26,700 and had an average of $25,051 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 19,622 visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $26,942 and $26,129 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 13,660 visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,343 and $26,790 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 230 colleges that offered a degree in visual and performing arts. That schools that top this list have a program in visual and performing arts in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Visual & Performing Arts Schools

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The visual & performing arts school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region”.

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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region”.

Top 26 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Visual & Performing Arts in the Great Lakes Region

1
The Academy crest
American Academy of Art
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend American Academy of Art. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private for-profit school awarded 33 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 Visual & Performing Arts at American Academy of Art

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to 144 students in 2020-2021.

Full Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Visual & Performing Arts Report

3
Compass College of Cinematic Arts crest
Compass College of Cinematic Arts
Grand Rapids, Michigan

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Compass College of Cinematic Arts. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region. Compass College of Cinematic Arts is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It awarded 18 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Compass College of Cinematic Arts Visual & Performing Arts Report

4

Out of the 230 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Cleveland Institute of Art landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 113 degrees to qualified bachelors’s visual and performing arts students in 2020-2021.

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 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%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Cleveland Institute of Art

5
AAC crest
Art Academy of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Art Academy of Cincinnati. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region. AAC is a small school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 22 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

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 Visual & Performing Arts at AAC

6

Columbus College of Art and Design came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to 172 students in 2020-2021.

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.

Full CCAD Visual & Performing Arts Report

7

College for Creative Studies ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. College for Creative Studies is a private not-for-profit institution located in Detroit, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 182 bachelors’s 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 full report on Visual & Performing Arts at CCS

8

School of the Art Institute of Chicago came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 576 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s visual and performing 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.

Full School of the Art Institute of Chicago Visual & Performing Arts Report

9
Columbia crest
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Columbia College Chicago came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Columbia is a medium-sized school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 837 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Columbia College Chicago

10

Cleveland Institute of Music ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Cleveland Institute of Music is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cleveland, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 45 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, 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 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Cleveland Institute of Music Visual & Performing Arts Report

11
The North Coast College crest
The North Coast College
Lakewood, Ohio

The North Coast College ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. The North Coast College is located in Lakewood, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full The North Coast College Visual & Performing Arts Report

12
Lawrence U crest
Lawrence University
Appleton, Wisconsin

Lawrence University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Appleton, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to 84 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 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. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Lawrence University

13
Oberlin crest
Oberlin College
Oberlin, Ohio

Oberlin College ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Oberlin, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 167 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s visual and performing arts students 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 Visual & Performing Arts at Oberlin

14
Millikin crest
Millikin University
Decatur, Illinois

Millikin University ranked #14 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Decatur, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to 107 students in 2020-2021.

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.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Millikin University

15
Principia crest
Principia College
Elsah, Illinois

Principia College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #15. Principia is located in Elsah, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Principia College

16

With a ranking of #16, The Modern College of Design did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. The Modern College of Design is a private for-profit institution located in Kettering, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at The Modern College of Design

17

Baldwin Wallace University ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Baldwin Wallace College is a small school located in Berea, Ohio that handed out 132 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. 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 Visual & Performing Arts at Baldwin Wallace College

18
Eureka College crest
Eureka College
Eureka, Illinois

With a ranking of #18, Eureka College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Eureka College is located in Eureka, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at Eureka College

19
UW - Stout crest
University of Wisconsin - Stout
Menomonie, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stout came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Wisconsin - Stout is a public institution located in Menomonie, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 170 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UW - Stout Visual & Performing Arts Report

20
Kenyon crest
Kenyon College
Gambier, Ohio

Kenyon College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Gambier, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to 34 students in 2020-2021.

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 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Kenyon

21
Taylor U crest
Taylor University
Upland, Indiana

Taylor University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Taylor University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Upland, Indiana. It awarded 40 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at Taylor U

22

Ohio Wesleyan University ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Ohio Wesleyan University is a small school located in Delaware, Ohio that handed out 32 bachelors’s visual and performing 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 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full OWU Visual & Performing Arts Report

23
North Central crest
North Central College
Naperville, Illinois

With a ranking of #23, North Central College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Naperville, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to 73 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Visual & Performing Arts at North Central College

24
UE crest
University of Evansville
Evansville, Indiana

University of Evansville did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #24. Evansville, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to 45 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read full report on Visual & Performing Arts at University of Evansville

25
Cedarville crest
Cedarville University
Cedarville, Ohio

Cedarville University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Cedarville, Ohio, and it awarded 72 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 Visual & Performing Arts at Cedarville University

25
Greenville crest
Greenville University
Greenville, Illinois

Greenville University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #25. Greenville University is located in Greenville, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 26 bachelors’s visual and performing arts degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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.

Full Greenville Visual & Performing Arts Report

Rest of the Best 34 in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Visual & Performing Arts Major in the Great Lakes Region

Not only did these schools make the top 34 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

27
Knox crest
Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois
28
Adrian crest
Adrian College
Adrian, Michigan
29
Earlham crest
Earlham College
Richmond, Indiana
30
Goshen crest
Goshen College
Goshen, Indiana
31
Franklin College of Indiana crest
Franklin College
Franklin, Indiana
32
Wittenberg crest
Wittenberg University
Springfield, Ohio
33
Otterbein crest
Otterbein University
Westerville, Ohio
34
Illinois Wesleyan crest
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, Illinois
35
WLC crest
Wisconsin Lutheran College
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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